LIBf- 
THE 
UNIVERSITY  Of  ILLINOIS 


PRESENT  CONDITION  ALONG  A  PART  OF  THE  WATER  FRONT  OF  THE  DELAWARE 
i:i\  ER  TO  BE  OCCUPIED  BY  MUNICIPAL  PIERS 


PROPOSED  Ml  NICIPAL  PIERS    ILONG  THE  DELAWARE  RIVER 


OFTHfc 
UHTYFKSfTYOFRUNOB 

lb  JAN  1915 


SOUTH 
PHILADELPHIA 


THE  ABOLISHMENT  OF  GRADE 
CROSSINGS  AND  THE  CREATION  OF 
OPPORTUNITIES  FOR  COMMERCIAL 
AND  INDUSTRIAL  DEVELOPMENT 


DEPARTMENT  OF  PUBLIC  WORKS 
PHILADELPHIA 


1913 


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TV- 

HISTORY  OF  THE  NEGOTIATIONS 

FOR  THE 

ABOLISHMENT  OF  GRADE  CROSSINGS 

IN  SOUTH  PHILADELPHIA 


The  abolishment  of  grade  crossings  upon  the  lines  of  the 
various  railroads  in  South  Philadelphia  has  been  a  subject 
of  conference  between  the  officials  of  the  City  and  the  rail- 
i-  road  companies  for  many  years.  When  the  City  undertook 
the  revision  of  the  lines  and  grades  south  of  Snyder  Avenue 
in  1898,  an  effort  was  made  to  reach  an  agreement  with  the 
Schuylkill  River  East  Side  Railroad  Company  and  the  Penn- 
sylvania Railroad  Company  looking  toward  the  readjust- 
ment of  the  lines  of  these  companies  in  a  manner  that  would 
provide  for  a  separation  of  grades  of  the  streets  and  rail- 
roads. Nothing  was  accomplished,  however,  at  that  time, 
except  that  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company  agreed  to 
conform  its  lines  to  the  grades  that  the  City  might  adopt, 
making  all  the  streets  cross  at  grade,  with  the  understanding 
that  the  separation  of  grades  by  elevating  or  depressing 
would  be  a  subject  for  future  decision. 

The  matter  then  rested  until  about  1904,  when  the 
Bureau  of  Surveys  prepared  a  plan  which  contemplated  the 
elevation  of  the  Washington  Avenue  Branch  of  the  Phila- 
delphia, Baltimore  and  Washington  Railroad  from  the 
Schuylkill  River  to  Broad  Street,  the  elevation  of  the  Dela- 
ware Extension  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  from  the 
Arsenal  bridge  over  the  Schuylkill  River  to  a  point  east  of 
Broad  Street,  from  which  point   an   incline  was  proposed 

♦—  connecting  the  elevated  line  with  the  Greenwich  Point 
■  Freight  Yards  and  Shipping  Terminals,  also  the  elevation  of 
the  tracks  of  the  Schuylkill  River  East  Side  Railroad  be- 
tween its  crossing  of  the  Schuylkill  River  and  Twenty-fifth 

<n\  and  Wolf  Streets,  where  it  was  intended  to  connect  it  with 
''  the  elevated  line  of  the  Delaware  Extension  of  the  Pennsyl- 
vania Railroad,  carrying  it  immediately  adjacent  to  the 
latter  to  a  connection  with  the  yards  and  tracks  along  the 
Delaware  River  front. 


After  a  series  of  negotiations,  extending  over  a  period 
of  several  months  without  accomplishing  any  important 
results,  the  matter  was  again  allowed  to  rest  so  far  as  active 
operations  were  concerned. 

The  Bureau  of  Surveys,  however,  continued  its  studies 
of  the  entire  situation  in  South  Philadelphia,  and  finally 
evolved  a  plan  which  affected  every  line  of  railroad  passing 
through  that  district,  contemplated  the  unification  of  the 
lines  of  the  Schuylkill  River  East  Side  Railroad  Company 
and  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company,  a  reduction  in  the 
number  of  lines,  the  abolishment  and  removal  of  tracks 
upon  various  main  lines  and  branches,  the  principal  ones  of 
which  were  the  Delaware  Extension  of  the  Pennsylvania 
Railroad  between  Pollock  and  Packer  Streets  and  from 
Twenty-fifth  Street  to  Delaware  Avenue,  and  the  Schuyl- 
kill River  East  Side  Railroad  in  Oregon  Avenue  from 
Twenty-fifth  and  Wolf  Streets  to  Delaware  Avenue. 

The  general  intent  of  this  study  was  to  combine  all  of  the 
through  lines  upon  one  right  of  way  from  a  point  at  Twenty- 
fifth  and  Wolf  Streets  southward  along  Twenty-fifth  Street, 
curving  to  the  eastward  near  League  Island  and  extending 
eastward  immediately  north  of  the  boundary  line  of  the 
Philadelphia  Navy  Yard  to  a  point  east  of  Broad  Street, 
where  it  was  proposed  to  establish  a  general  terminal  yard 
to  take  the  place  of  the  one  now  existing  at  Greenwich 
Point,  which  latter  plant  was  to  be  removed  to  the  new 
location  further  south.  This  would  result  in  leaving  that 
entire  section  of  South  Philadelphia  lying  between  Twenty- 
fifth  Street  and  Delaware  Avenue  clear  of  railroad  tracks, 
and  by  the  transfer  of  the  yard  and  shipping  terminals  at 
Greenwich  Point,  would  leave  that  part  of  the  Delaware 
River  front  now  occupied  by  the  Greenwich  Point  piers  open 
to  development  by  the  City  as  a  water  terminal  for  general 
commercial  uses. 

As  a  result  of  the  study  of  the  entire  situation  in  South 
Philadelphia,  the  Bureau  of  Surveys  became  convinced  that 
no  plan  for  the  abolishment  of  grade  crossings  would  be 
ultimately  economical  or  satisfactory  that  did  not  provide 
for  a  comprehensive  treatment  of  the  whole  railroad  prob- 
lem under  which  the  disposition  of  the  railroads  might  be 


permanently  settled.    To  provide  fur  the  abolishment  of  one 

or  two  grade  crossings  or  for  the  change  of  grade  of  one 
individual  line  of  railroad  would  be  only  a  temporary  expe- 
dient, and  the  problem  of  the  further  abolishment  of  grade 
crossings  would  arise  whenever  a  new  street  was  to  be 
opened. 

The  plan  prepared  was  believed  to  provide  a  scheme  for 
the  relocation  and  readjustment  of  the  railway  lines  in  a 
manner  that  would  permanently  dispose  of  the  entire  prob- 
lem of  steam  railroad  operation  throughout  the  section  south 
of  and  including  Washington  Avenue.  Copies  of  this  general 
plan  and  of  a  form  of  ordinance  to  carry  it  into  effect  were 
submitted  to  the  interested  railroad  companies  in  1910,  and 
shortly  thereafter  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company 
agreed  to  certain  parts  of  the  plan,  namely — the  elevation 
of  the  tracks  in  Washington  Avenue  as  far  east  as  Broad 
Street  and  the  elevation  of  tracks  in  Twenty-fifth  Street  as 
far  south  as  Moore  Street.  The  Schuylkill  River  East  Side 
Railroad  Company  indicated  a  willingness  to  enter  into  the 
project,  but  no  conclusive  agreement  as  to  the  combination  of 
the  various  lines  south  of  Twenty-fifth  and  Wolf  Streets  was 
reached. 

The  matter  had  remained  in  about  this  condition  for  a 
year  or  more  prior  to  the  present  Administration.  Shortly 
after  Mayor  Elankenburg  came  into  office  he  was  appealed  to 
by  the  Southwestern  Business  Men's  Association,  the  South 
Philadelphia  Business  Men's  Association  and  various  other 
trade  and  civic  bodies  in  South  Philadelphia  to  secure  the 
long  desired  removal  of  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  tracks  from 
Oregon  Avenue.  Negotiations  were  immediately  entered 
into  with  this  railroad  for  this  improvement.  The  principal 
argument  in  the  hands  of  the  Administration  was  a  clause  in 
the  franchise  for  the  Schuylkill  River  East  Side  Railroad 
which  required  it  on  demand  to  elevate  its  tracks  over  Broad 
Street.  To  do  simply  this  and  nothing  more  would  have  cost 
the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad  Company  $500,000.  To 
elevate  the  entire  line  on  Oregon  Avenue,  and  thus  remove 
all  grade  crossings,  would  have  cost  $750,000.  The  City  did 
not  want  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad  to  remain  in  Ore- 
gon Avenue  and  it  is  probable  that  the  railroad  company  itself 
did  not  want  to  remain  there.    It  was,  therefore,  suggested 


that  on  account  of  the  removal  of  grade  crossings  on  Oregon 
Avenue,  the  City  might  be  interested  in  assisting  to  secure 
a  right  of  way  farther  south.  Plans  were  made  looking 
toward  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad  paralleling  the 
Pennsylvania  just  north  of  Packer  Avenue.  There  were  de- 
cided operating  difficulties  connected  with  this  plan.  Nego- 
tiations were  then  opened  up  with  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad 
for  the  handling  of  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  traffic  on  the 
present  lines  of  the  Delaware  Extension.  A  traffic  agree- 
ment was  drawn  up,  but  this  was  so  unsatisfactory  to  the 
Baltimore  and  Ohio  that  negotiations  with  both  railroads 
were  carried  on  looking  toward  the  building  of  a  joint  line 
across  the  City  at  about  the  present  location  of  the  Delaware 
Extension.  These  plans  had  not  been  gone  into  very  far 
before  both  the  railroads  and  the  City  were  forced  to  the 
conclusion  that  this  plan  did  not  offer  the  comprehensive 
solution  which  the  best  development  of  this  section,  and 
especially  of  our  port  facilities,  demanded.  At  this  point 
ended  the  first  stage  in  the  present  series  of  negotiations. 

In  the  early  fall  there  began  a  series  of  engineering  con- 
ferences, participated  in  by  the  engineering  representatives 
of  the  City,  Baltimore  and  Ohio,  and  Pennsylvania  Railroads, 
and  the  general  officers  of  the  Philadelphia  Belt  Line  Com- 
pany. These  conferences  were  held  under  the  instructions 
of  the  executives  of  the  several  interested  parties.  Their 
object  was  to  remove  the  obvious  engineering  objections 
which  had  been  made  to  the  Belt  Line  proposition  as  drafted 
years  before  in  the  Bureau  of  Surveys.  This  project  had 
provided  for  a  Belt  Line  along  Government  Avenue,  running 
at  right  angles  with  Broad  Street  and  crossing  that  thor- 
oughfare on  an  elevated  structure,  one  section  of  which  was 
to  be  treated  as  a  monumental  gateway  to  League  Island 
Navy  Yard.  On  this  proposed  road  the  tracks  would  reach 
grade  at  about  Seventh  Street,  and  this  made  impossible  a 
yard  of  sufficient  length  to  handle  the  theoretically  correct 
length  of  train.  Fortunately,  Olmstead  Brothers  had  been 
retained  to  make  a  restudy  of  the  plans  for  League  Island 
Park.  They  felt  that  the  plan  for  a  marginal  elevated 
freight  line,  cutting  off  the  view  of  the  Navy  Yard  and  river 
from  the  Park,  made  almost  hopeless  the  development  of  this 


Park  into  anything  that  would  prove  satisfactory,  so  that 
they  entered  with  enthusiasm  upon  a  study  of  how  this 
freight  line  could  be  carried  under  Broad  Street.  Carrying 
the  Belt  Line  farther  north  than  had  originally  been  planned, 
and  then  allowing  it  to  pass  under  Broad  Street,  gave  the 
length  of  yard  to  the  East  of  Broad  Street  that  the  railroad 
felt  was  necessary.  Another  difficulty  that  had  stood  in  the 
way  of  this  development  had  been  the  feeling  on  the  part 
of  the  railroads  that  wharf  property  developed  immediately 
to  the  north  of  League  Island  Park  would  not  be  as  desirable 
as  that  they  were  being  asked  to  vacate  farther  north.  Some 
studies  were  made  which  indicated  that  docks  at  this  point 
will  not  be  any  more  likely  to  fill  than  those  farther  up  the 
river. 

Again,  comprehensive  studies  had  been  made  as  to  the 
way  in  which  this  line  was  to  be  carried  through  the  plant 
of  the  Atlantic  Refining  Company,  without  doing  undue 
damage  to  that  plant,  and  without  involving  the  parties  at 
interest  in  undue  damage  costs. 

These  and  other  engineering  difficulties  were  finally  re- 
moved. The  plan  as  developed  was  turned  over  early  in  the 
year  to  the  executive  officers  of  the  railroads,  and  the  series 
of  conferences  begun  in  the  Mayor's  office,  which  have  now 
been  consummated. 


STATEMENT  BY  THE  MAYOR,  IN  REFERENCE 

TO  THE 

CONTEMPLATED  IMPROVEMENTS 

The  many  conferences  between  officials  of  the  city,  the 
railroads  and  the  Philadelphia  Belt  Line  Company  have 
brought  most  gratifying  results.  The  fine  spirit  of  co-oper- 
ation ;  the  desire  to  arrive  at  an  amicable,  mutually  advan- 
tageous settlement  by  all  the  parties  interested,  have  led  to 
an  agreement  that  promises  much  for  Philadelphia. 

Our  metropolitan  development  has  been  long  neglected 
and  delayed  owing  largely  to  procrastination,  misunder- 
standing and  antagonism.  These  have  at  last  been  over- 
come and,  with  cordial  popular  support,  I  predict  a  more 
rapid  advance  for  our  city  than  at  any  time  in  its  history. 
It  is  not  only  the  abolition  of  grade  crossings  in  South  Phila- 
delphia, a  question  that  has  engrossed  the  attention  of  the 
authorities  for  the  last  twenty-five  years,  but  also  the  far- 
reaching  measures  proposed  to  utilize  our  splendid  river 
front  to  the  fullest  advantage  and  thus  to  make  Philadel- 
phia in  the  near  future  one  of  the  world's  greatest  ports. 
With  city  railroads  and  Belt  Line,  with  modern  docks  and 
wharves,  and  with  all  manufacturing  and  shipping  interests 
acting  as  a  unit,  Philadelphia  may  soon  be  made  as  great  a 
factor  in  the  world's  trade  as  are  other  inland  ports,  such  as 
London,  Hamburg  or  Antwerp. 

Public  interest  has  naturally  been  directed  to  the  pro- 
visions in  the  agreement  for  the  protection  of  the  rights  of 
the  Belt  Line  Railroad  Company  and  the  preservation  of  its 
opportunities  for  future  development.  The  agreement  pro- 
vides for  both  these  things  without  a  possibility  of  doubt. 
The  Belt  Line  is  first  protected  in  all  its  present  rights  and 
franchises  and  in  all  its  existing  agreements  with  other 
railroads.  It  is  given  the  express  right  to  lay  two  tracks  on 
Delaware  Avenue  from  Queen  Street  to  Hoyt  Street,  and  it 
is  given,  in  fee,  a  right  of  way  from  Delaware  Avenue  and 
Hoyt  Street  west  and  north  to  Twenty-ninth  Street  and 
Magazine  Lane.  It  is  also  provided  that  the  four  tracks 
owned  by  the  Pennsylvania  and  Baltimore  Companies  shall 
be  operated  as  a  Belt  Line,  or  "open  gateway,"  with  free  ac- 
cess insured  to  any  other  company  desiring  to  enter  the  City 


and  use  these  tracks.  There  are  express  covenants  that  the 
operation  of  the  road  shall  be  on  equal  terms  to  all  users 
without  favoritism  or  discrimination. 

It  is  further  provided  that  the  right  of  use  may  be  given 
to  another  company  by  either  of  the  owning  companies  or 
by  the  Belt  Line. 

In  the  unlikely  event  of  any  refusal  in  the  future  by  the 
railroad  companies  to  live  up  to  this  agreement,  it  is  pro- 
vided that  the  agreement  shall  be  enforcible  by  the  decree 
of  a  court  of  equity.  Over  all  will  be  the  supervisory  powers 
of  the  Inter-state  Commerce  Commission  and  the  new  Pub- 
lic Utilities  Commission  to  be  appointed  by  the  Governor. 
Finally,  if  all  these  precautions  should  fail,  two  tracks  may 
be  laid  on  the  right  of  way  of  the  Belt  Line. 

The  terms  of  use  by  another  company  desiring  to  enter 
the  city  are  made  unusually  liberal.  It  is  provided  that  the 
road  shall  be  divided  into  two  sections,  one  section  including 
the  comparatively  inexpensive  stretch  on  Delaware  Avenue 
and  the  other  the  more  expensive  construction  west  to 
Girard  Point  and  north  to  Passyunk  Avenue.  Any  other 
railroad  company  may  use  either  or  both  of  these  sections, 
and  if  it  uses  only  one  m  ction,  it  is  not  obliged  to  pay,  as 
rental,  interest  upon  any  part  of  the  cost  of  construction  of 
the  other  section.  Neither  is  it  obliged  to  repay  any  part  of 
the  cost  of  the  other  section.  Instead  of  being  obliged  to 
contribute  a  large  sum  of  money  at  once,  it  will  only  be 
called  upon  to  pay  interest  on  a  part  of  the  cost  of  construc- 
tion and  of  the  net  value  of  the  abandoned  lines  for  which 
the  new  road  will  be  a  substitute.  This  "net  value"  will  be 
a  comparatively  small  sum  and  only  enters  into  the  matter 
in  so  far  as  it  affects  another  company.  No  portion  of  this 
value  is  contributed  directly  or  indirectly  by  the  City. 

Aside  from  all  other  benefits,  a  large  area  of  land  south 
of  Oregon  Avenue,  4,000  acres  or  more,  will  be  sought  for 
building  purposes,  homes  as  well  as  manufacturing  plants. 
Miles  of  improved  water  front  on  the  Delaware  and  the 
Schuylkill  and  enlarged  shipping  facilities  by  land  and  water 
will  be  an  incentive  to  establish  new  industries  and  thus  se- 
cure new  fields  of  labor  and  employment  for  our  ever-grow- 
ing population. 

9 


Another  point  in  this  development  of  South  Philadel- 
phia is  not  generally  appreciated,  and  that  is  the  financial 
result  for  the  City.  The  Thirty-ninth  Ward,  south  of  Mifflin 
and  east  of  Broad  Street,  comprising  4.809  square  miles,  has 
been  retarded  in  progress  for  many  years.  The  value  of  3,500 
acres  of  land,  now  assessed  at  an  average  of  $1,507  an  acre, 
or  a  total  of  $5,318,000,  should  increase  with  the  develop- 
ments contemplated  in  such  proportion  as  to  shortly  reach 
the  assessment  in  other  wards  with  a  river  front.  The  First, 
Second  and  Third  Wards,  with  1.333  square  miles,  yield  to  the 
City,  with  an  assessment  of  $46,582,400,  at  one  per  cent,  tax 
rate,  $465,824;  the  Eleventh,  Twelfth  and  Thirteenth 
Wards,  containing  but  0.662  square  miles,  on  an  assessment 
of  $32,363,941,  contribute  to  the  City  Treasury  $323,639.41 ; 
the  Sixteenth,  Seventeenth  and  Eighteenth  Wards,  1.182 
square  miles,  assessed  at  $33,880,595,  pay  a  yearly  toll  of 
$338,805.95.  Or,  to  summarize :  The  Thirty-ninth  Ward, 
containing  4.809  square  miles,  assessed  at  $20,585,988,  con- 
tributes to  the  City  the  meagre  sum  of  $205,859.88,  while 
the  nine  wards  enumerated  above,  containing  together  only 
3.177  square  miles,  with  a  total  assessment  of  $112,826,936, 
annually  contribute  $1,128,269.36. 

The  Thirty-ninth  Ward  is  as  near  to  the  City  Hall  as  is 
the  Eighteenth,  and  with  a  Broad  Street  subway  now  within 
sight,  it  will  be  fully  as  accessible  to  the  heart  of  the  City  as 
are  the  northeastern  wards  named.  At  the  same  time,  the 
river  front  in  the  Thirty-ninth  Ward  is  as  extensive  as  that 
of  all  the  wards  mentioned.  It  is  reasonable,  therefore,  to 
suppose  that  the  average  real  estate  value,  per  acre,  in  the 
Thirty-ninth  Ward  will,  at  no  distant  day,  approximate  that 
of  the  other  river  wards  spoken  of.  With  such  increased 
revenue  from  real  estate  taxes,  the  City  will  be  much  more 
than  compensated  for  any  outlay  in  abolishing  grade  cross- 
ings, for  developing  the  harbor  and  for  building  modern 
docks  and  wharves. 

The  immeasurable  additional  advantage  of  creating 
new  fields  of  labor  by  opening  large  tracts  of  land  as  sites 
for  the  building  of  mills  and  factories  should  not  be  over- 
looked. The  City  should  certainly  be  congratulated  on  the 
solution  of  one  of  the  serious  questions  that  have  perplexed 
us  for  many  years. 

10 


0RAD1    GROSSING  Ol     111  I    ~>  III  U  KIM    RIVKI  RAILROAD    \l 

BROAD  8TREE1    IND  OREGON    WIMI       \  1 1  w    l\-l 


1:1:  \M    I  ROSSING  OF  Till    *  HI  YI.KII.I.  RIVER   I   VS1   SIDE   RAH  ROAD    \T 
I  NTY-THIRDSTREE1  ANDPASSY1  NK  AVI  M  I        VII  w  NORTH! 


THE  SCHUYLKILL  RIVER  EAST  SIDE  RAILROAD.     VIEW  NORTHEAST  FROM 
TENTH  STREET  AND  OREGON  AVENUE 


OREGON   AVENUE  WEST  FROM  FIFTEENTH  STREET.     THE  PRESENCE  OF  THE 
RAILROAD  TRACKS  PREVENTS  THE  EXTENSION  OF  IMPROVEMENTS 


THE  ACQUISITION 

OF  RAILROAD  PROPERTY  FOR 

MUNICIPAL  PIERS 

The  acquisition  by  the  City  of  the  properties  of  the 
Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad  Company,  at  the  foot  of  Snyder 
Avenue,  and  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company,  between 
Bigler  and  Hoyt  Streets,  on  the  Delaware  River,  is  one  of 
the  most  valuable  features  of  the  South  Philadelphia  agree- 
ment. Its  importance  to  the  development  of  the  port  can 
hardly  be  over-estimated. 

The  tract  belonging  to  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad 
comprises  the  site  of  the  old  Pier  No.  80 — which  was  de- 
stroyed by  fire  about  a  year  ago  and  has  not  yet  been  rebuilt 
— and  two  or  three  smaller  structures  adjacent,  the  I 
length  of  river  frontage  being  about  900  feet.  The  Pennsyl- 
vania Railroad  property,  known  as  the  Greenwich  Coal 
Terminals,  takes  in  practically  all  of  the  present  railroad 
pier  developments  in  the  Greenwich  section — except  the 
lowermost  wharf  known  as  Point  House  Pier — and  has  a 
total  river  frontage  of  about  2,500  feet,  the  two  properties 
together  having  a  combined  bulkhead  length  of  3,400  feet. 

The  section  lying  between  them  is  either  in  a  totally 
undeveloped  condition,  or — in  the  case  of  the  three  manu- 
facturing establishments  already  located  there — developed 
in  such  a  way  that  the  entire  water  front  from  Snyder  Ave- 
nue to  Hoyt  Street,  a  distance  of  about  7,200  feet — nearly 
one  and  one-half  miles — would  be  easy  of  acquisition  by  the 
City  and  would  afford  an  opportunity  for  a  symmetrical, 
economical  and  efficient  steamship  terminal  development  un- 
approached  at  any  port  on  the  Atlantic  Coast. 

Immediately  in  front  of  these  properties  at  the  heads 
of  the  piers  proposed  to  be  built  on  them  is  the  main  Dela- 
ware River  Channel,  35  feet  deep  and  1,000  feet  wide,  now 
under  improvement  by  the  U.  S.  Government,  and  in  the  rear 
of  it  the  tracks  of  the  Belt  Line  Railroad,  affording  direct 
access  to  and  from  the  piers  to  three  of  the  great  trunk  line 
systems  of  the  country.  These  properties  are  fortunately  of 
sufficient  depth  to  permit  of  the  construction  of  the  long  and 

n 


wide  piers  which  are  now  requisite  for  the  proper  handling 
of  the  enormous  cargoes  carried  by  modern  ocean  freighters, 
and  the  necessary  car  storage  yards  immediately  in  front  of 
them  for  handling  the  large  number  of  cars  required  for  the 
prompt  dispatch  of  cargo  to  and  from  the  steamers  at  the 
wharves. 

This  site  has  been  looked  upon  by  the  Department  of 
Wharves  for  a  long  time  as  the  logical  location  for  the  con- 
centration of  port  improvements  in  this  City  for  some  years 
to  come,  and  the  consummation  of  the  long-drawn-out  nego- 
tiations with  the  railroads  removes  the  principal  obstacle  in 
the  way  of  what  it  is  believed  can  and  will  be  made  into  the 
finest,  completest,  and  most  noteworthy  single  terminal  de- 
velopment on  this  side  of  the  Atlantic. 

Bearing  in  mind  the  fact  that  the  modern  steamship 
terminal  is  not  merely  an  aggregation  of  an  indefinite  num- 
ber of  piers,  but  must  provide,  in  a  logical  scheme,  for  the 
effective  co-ordination  of  the  various  units  necessary  to  make 
it  a  complete  working  entity,  the  Dock  Department  has  pre- 
pared preliminary  plans  for  the  construction  of  a  dozen  or 
more  piers  in  this  section,  each  1,200  feet  long  by  300  feet 
wide,  with  docks  between  them  of  the  same  width  as  the 
piers,  and  with  railroad  yards  located  in  the  rear  between 
the  ends  of  the  piers  and  Delaware  Avenue.  Storage  ware- 
houses for  commodities  of  every  kind  received  from  the 
ships  and  held  for  local  consumption  or  shipment  into  the 
interior,  or  vice  versa,  and  a  factory  section  somewhat  along 
the  lines  of  the  great  Bush  Terminal  in  Brooklyn,  are 
planned  to  be  located  on  the  westerly  side  of  Delaware 
Avenue.  It  is  regarded  as  a  practical  certainty  that  the  con- 
struction of  these  proposed  piers  would  be  followed  by  the 
location  convenient  to  them  of  many  manufacturing  estab- 
lishments which  use  large  quantities  of  imported  raw  ma- 
terials, and  with  them  would  come  the  concurrent  residential 
upbuilding  of  the  section  in  the  rear  of  the  factories. 

These  preliminary  plans  contemplate  piers  and  mechani- 
cal equipment  of  the  most  advanced  type  of  construction, 
and  the  building  of  the  first  of  them  will  mark  a  long  step 
in  advance  of  anything  yet  attempted  in  this  line  in  Phila- 
delphia or  any  other  American  port.    It  is  recognized  that 

12 


this  is  not  the  work  of  a  few  months,  or  even  two  or  three 
years,  but  the  commencement  of  this  great  work  is  looked 
for  in  the  near  future  and  all  necessary  preparations  are 
being  made  by  the  engineers  of  the  Department  with  that 
end  in  view.  A  perspective  drawing  of  a  portion  of  this 
proposed  terminal  is  shown  as  a  frontispiece,  the  piers  in  the 
foreground,  with  the  railroad  tracks,  trestles,  and  car  yards 
beyond  them;  then  still  further  back,  on  the  west  side  of 
Delaware  Avenue,  the  warehouse  and  factory  section  of  the 
development — the  whole  illustration  giving  a  faint  idea  of 
the  tremendous  scope  of  the  activities  of  a  properly  planned 
modern  steamship  and  railroad  terminal.  Accompanying 
this  drawing  is  a  photograph  showing  the  present  unde- 
veloped condition  of  a  portion  of  the  site. 


13 


REVISION  OF  THE 

STREET  SYSTEM  FOR  THE  DEVELOPMENT 

OF  PROPERTY 

"In  connection  with  the  re-adjustment  of  the  steam 
railroad  lines  in  South  Philadelphia,  a  revision  of  the  lines 
and  grades  of  streets  is  contemplated  throughout  the  unim- 
proved area  lying  between  the  Delaware  and  Schuylkill 
Rivers  in  a  manner  that  will  provide  better  opportunities  for 
transportation  through  that  area  and  also  for  a  better  de- 
velopment of  the  territory  for  commercial,  industrial  and 
residential  purposes.  At  the  present  time  the  street  system 
is  laid  out  rectangularly  with  very  few  diagonals,  the  blocks 
being  from  360  to  400  feet  square,  with  main  streets  usually 
60  feet  in  width.  The  usual  method  of  developing  these 
blocks  for  residential  purposes  is  to  open  two  40-feet  wide 
streets  through  each  block,  which  results  in  building  lots  in 
many  instances  less  than  50  feet  in  depth,  a  depth  that  is 
not  sufficient  for  ordinary  domestic  purposes  and  necessarily 
drives  the  children  into  the  street  to  play  or  denies  them  any 
opportunity  to  get  out  in  the  open  air.  The  present  layout 
does  not  lend  itself  to  the  best  forms  of  sub-division  of  the 
property  for  purposes  of  general  development,  and  a  system 
can  be  established  that  will  better  serve  the  needs  of  future 
industrial,  commercal  and  residential  growth.  It  will  be  es- 
sential to  the  proper  development  of  industrial  and  commer- 
cial improvement  that  better  facilities  shall  be  provided  for 
reaching  the  proposed  new  docks  and  railroad  terminals  than 
are  provided  by  the  present  plan.  Traffic  to  and  from  that 
portion  of  Delaware  Avenue  which  has  been  widened  and  im- 
proved north  of  Christian  Street  is  put  to  very  great  incon- 
venience by  the  lack  of  suitable  approaches,  the  streets  now 
entering  that  section  of  the  avenue  from  the  City  being 
narrow,  as  a  rule,  and  having  heavy  grades  descending  to  the 
water  front.  This  condition  has  been  a  source  of  much  com- 
plaint from  all  traffic  interests  using  the  approaches,  and 
wider  and  more  direct  approaches  from  the  City  should  be 
established  to  the  new  harbor  improvements  along  the  Dela- 
ware and  Schuylkill  River  south  of  Christian  Street. 

14 


"Following  the  reconstruction  of  the  railroads  to  the 
new  lines  and  the  removal  of  the  present  surface  tracks  and 
the  construction  of  the  proposed  docks,  the  industrial  devel- 
opment of  that  section  should  proceed  rapidly.and,  in  order 
that  proper  facilities  for  traffic  movement  may  be  estab- 
lished, it  will  be  necessary  to  create  better  and  more  direct 
connections  between  commercial  and  industrial  areas  and  the 
City;  this  will  require  wider  streets  and  a  greater  number 
of  diagonals  than  are  provided  by  the  existing  plans. 

"The  opening  up  of  this  section  to  commercial  and  in- 
dustrial activities  will  naturally  be  followed  by  the  building 
up  of  considerable  areas  with  homes  for  the  people  who  will 
be  engaged  in  the  various  industries,  and  opportunities 
should  be  given  for  a  more  liberal  and  more  attractive  de- 
velopment for  the  homes  of  those  workers  than  it  has  been 
customary  to  provide  in  some  sections  of  the  City.  The  pres- 
ent system  of  streets  in  the  southern  section  of  the  City  has 
encouraged  the  laying  out  of  very  small  lots,  so  that  the  peo- 
ple living  in  the  small  row  houses  do  not  have  the  oppor- 
tunity they  should  for  the  enjoyment  of  open  spaces,  sun- 
light, air  and  those  natural  surroundings  which  would  add 
greatly  to  the  healthfulness  and  attractiveness  of  residential 
sections  occupied  by  the  working  classes. 

"The  street  system  throughout  this  section  should  also 
be  laid  out  with  a  view  of  setting  aside  areas  at  proper  dis- 
tances apart  for  the  establishment  of  small  parks  and  play- 
grounds; such  places  will  be  absolutely  essential  for  the  use 
of  the  community  if  the  best  interests  of  the  people  are  to  be 
considered  and  proper  provision  made  for  the  physical  train- 
ing and  health  of  the  children.  Certain  wide  streets  should 
also  be  planned  as  parkway  connections  with  League  Island 
Park  and  with  the  general  park  system  of  the  City. 

"The  one-family  house  which  is  characteristic  of  Phila- 
delphia is  held  by  many  city  planning  and  housing  experts 
to  be  the  most  desirable  type  of  the  workingman's  home,  but 
the  tendency  of  real  estate  operators  has  been  toward  get- 
ting the  largest  number  of  lots  out  of  the  land  in  developing 
it,  and  opportunity  should  be  given  for  subdivision  into  larger 
plots  in  order  that  each  house  may  have  more  open  space 
attached  to  it  than  is  usually  the  case  under  the  present 
practice. 

15 


"The  general  revision  of  streets  in  the  undeveloped  ter- 
ritory with  these  objects  in  view  will  be  to  the  advantage  of 
everyone  who  will  be  concerned  in  the  growth  of  improve- 
ments in  the  southern  section  of  the  city.  The  general 
development  of  the  commercial  and  industrial  enterprises 
which  will  naturally  be  attracted  to  localities  that  are  well 
served  by  railway  and  water-routes  of  travel  should  be 
accompanied  by  the  best  facilities  for  the  free  movement  of 
street  traffic  and  by  the  opportunity  for  the  creation  of  an 
ideal  residential  section  and  workingmen's  colony." 


16 


SUMMARY 


elph.o,  July  7.  1913 


Preliminary  Estimate  of  Cost 

of  Re-locating  and  Elevating  Tracks  and  Freight  Terminals 

of  Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company,  Philadelphia,  Baltimore  &  Washington  Railroad  Company 

and  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad  Company 

in  South  Philadelphia 


Total 

Lstimated 


Washington    Avenue    Branch,    P.,    B.    &   W.    R.    R. 

Washington  Avenue  Elevated  Railroad  : 

30th  St.  and  Gray's  Ferry  Avenue  to  West  Side  of  Broad 
St.  (2  tracks,  30th  St.  to  25th  St. ;  3  tracks,  25th  St. 

to  17th  St.,  and  2  tracks.  17th  St.  to  Broad  St.) $1,950,000 

West  side  of  Broad  St.  to  5th  St.  (2  tracks) 1,000,000 

New   Freight   Station   and    Elevated    Yard    Tracks    between 

Broad  St.  and  17th  St 1.384,000 

Car  Storage  Yard  south  of  Washington  Ave.,  between   ISth 

and  19th  Sts 532,000 


692.000 
266,000 


.586,000 

1-2  cc 

st  $    793,000 

260.000 

1-2  cc 

st        130,000 

364,000 

1--'  a 

st       182,000 

734.O0O 


Total  cost  to  P.,  B.  &  W.  R.  R.  Co $2,433.01.1 

Delaware    Extension,    P.    R.    R. 

Two-track  Elevated  Railroad  (steel  viaduct  on  25th  St.,  from 

Arsenal  Bridge  to  McKean  St..  thence  along  Point  Breeze 

Ave.  to  29th  St.,  thence  embankment  to  Passyunk  Ave) . .  $1,586,000 

Three  Y'ard  Tracks  from  Magazine  Lane  to  Penrose  Ave.,  to 

replace  tracks  on  Girard  Point  Branch 

Girard  Point  Storage  Co.'s  Tracks  and  Elevation  to  connect 

with  Joint  Line  

Two  Tracks  on  Delaware  Ave.  from  Bigler  St.  to  Swanson  St. 
to  be  relaid  with  girder  rails;  paving  Delaware  Ave.  from 
Reed  St.  to  Queen  St.;  purchasing  Reed  St.  property  and 
rebuilding  yards  and  tracks  to  compensate  for  tracks  re- 
moved from  Delaware  Ave.,  and  to  permit  widening  of 

Reed  St.,  Front  St.  and  Washington  Ave 

Additional  Yard  Facilities  required  by  P.  R.  R.  Co.,  Reed  St. 

and  Washington  Ave 273,000 

New  Terminal  Y'ards  between  Broad  St.  and  Delaware  Ave., 
not  including  pier  development : 

Portion  to  be  paid  jointly  by  City  and  P.  R.  R.  Co.  to  , 

replace  present  facilities  and  provide  for  dredging. .  .      1,500,000 
Additional  facilities  to  he  constructed  entirely  at  P.  R.  R. 

Co.'s  expense  2,000,000 

Purchase  by  City  of  Section  No.  1 — Piers,  Tracks,  etc.,  Dela- 
ware Ave.  to  Pierhead  Line  and  Bigler  St.  to  Iluyt  St. 

(approximate  estimate)   2,300,000 

To  replace  above  waterfront  facilities  on  property  now  owned, 

by  P.  R.  R.  Co.,  south  of  Hoyt  St.. 1.300,000 

Joint  Four-Track  Line,  29th  St.  and  Passyunk  Ave.,  to  S'gler  St. 
Four-track   Elevated   Railroad,  29th   St.  and   Passyunk  Ave. 
to    Magazine    Lane,    thence    embankment   to    Broad    St., 

including  Broad  St.  Bridge  and  approaches 

Four  tracks  at  grade  from  east  side  of  Broad  St.  to  Bigler  St 

and  Delaware  Ave 

Connecting  Atlantic  Refining  Co.'s  and  City's  Point  Breeze 

Gas  Works'  sidings  and  tracks  to  elevated  joint  line 

Total  cost  to  P.  R.  R.  Co 


367.000 
273,000 


cost       750,000 
cost    2,000,000 


Entire  cost     1.300.000 


3,200,000 

41  I  .  1  i  1 
100,000 


3-10  cost 
3-10  cost 
3-10  cost 


960,000 
139,800 
30,000 


:  from  Vare  Ave.  to  Pass- 


Baltimore    and    Ohio    Railroad 

Two-track  Railroad  on  embank 

yunk  Ave 475,000 

Two  tracks  on  Delaware  Ave.,  from  Bigler  St.  to  Vandalia  St.  75.000 

New  Terminal  Y'ards  between  Broad  St.  and  the  Delaware 

River  (approximate  estimate)   1.500,000 

Purchase   by   City   of  piers,   tracks,   etc.,    Delaware   Ave.   to 

Pierhead  Line  and  McKean  to  Jackson  Sts.  (approximate 


1,0  0,0V) 


3-10  1 

3-10  < 
3-10  ( 


B.  &  O. 

City  of 

R    R    Co's 

Philadelphi 

Portion 

Portion 

960,000 
139,800 
30,000 


1-2  cost  $  975,000 
1-2  cost       500,000 


1-2   cost       692,000 
1-2   cost        266,000 


1-2   cost  $    793,000 


1-2   cost 
1-2   cost 


130,000 
182,000 


1-2  cost       367,000 


1-2  cost       750,000 


Entire  cost     2,300.000 


2-5    cost 
2-5   cost 


1.280,000 
186,400 
40,000 


Total  cost  to  B.  &  O.  R.  R.  Co.. 


237,500 
37,500 

1,500,000 

1-2  cost       237,500 
1-2  cost         37,500 

Entire  cost    1,000,000 

$2,904,800 

Total  cost  to  Pennsylvania  Companies <cg  ,^j qqq 

Credit :     City's  purchase  of  present  waterfront  property  and  facilities  of  Pennsylvania  Companies    2^300  000 


Net  total  cost  to  Pennsylvania  Companies  * «7  057  g 

Total  cost  to  Baltimore  Companies  J^'ona'p 

Credit :     City's  purchase  of  present  waterfront  property  and  facilities  of  Baltimore  Companies    L00o!c 


Net  total  cost  to  Baltimore  Companies jj  004  gQg 

Total  cost  to  City  of  Philadelphia,  including  $60,000  on  account  of  Philadelphia  Belt' Line  Railroad  right-of-way!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!      $9,796!400 


Credit:    Value  of  waterfront  property  and  facilities  purchased  from  the  Pennsylv 
Net  total  cost  to  the  City  of  Philadelphia  for  work  of  construction. 


1  Compan 


nd  the  Baltimore  Companii 


Net  total  cost  of  the 

Note:    This  estimate 

change  after  more  complete  si 


approximate  and  was  made  partly  by  the  Railroad  Companii 
veys  and  the  development  of  the  plans. 


nd  partly  by  the  Bu 


$18,758,200 
s  subject  to 


EDITORIAL   COMMENTS   OF  THE   PRESS 


ABOLITION  OF 

GRADE  CROSSINGS  IN  SOUTH  PHILADELPHIA 

$18,000,000  TO  BE  EXPENDED 

Public  Ledger,  July  8,  1913. 

The  announcement  that  an  agreement  has  been  reached 
between  the  executives  of  the  city  and  of  the  interested  rail- 
road companies,  covering  the  abolition  of  grade  crossings 
and  the  relocation  of  tracks  in  the  southern  part  of  the  city, 
is  of  greater  local  interest  and  importance  than  any  other 
announcement  in  the  lifetime  of  the  present  generation.  It 
is  doubly  gratifying  to  know  that  the  agreement  is  in  such 
shape  that  it  will  probably  command  unanimous  approval. 
The  difliculties  that  lay  in  the  way  of  reaching  such  an  agree- 
ment are  obvious.  The  railroad  companies  were  seeking  no 
additional  franchises  or  privileges,  nor  was  the  city  in  a 
position  to  enforce  any  drastic  measures.  There  were  no 
expired  or  expiring  franchises.  There  were  grade  crossings 
which  the  city  might  have  attacked  in  the  exercise  of  its 
general  police  power,  but  as  the  City  Solicitor  wisely  ad\ 
Councils,  this  was  a  tedious  way  of  reaching  a  result,  involv- 
ing years  of  altercation,  recrimination  and  litigation.  He 
suggested  that  the  proper  way  was  to  take  the  matter  up  in 
conference  and  reach  a  lair  and  equitable  agreement.  That 
is  the  way  in  which  the  abolition  of  grade  crossings  has  al- 
ways been  handled  in  Philadelphia,  and  the  results  already 
attained  under  previous  agreements,  and  to  be  attained 
under  this  agreement,  fully  justify  its  wisdom.  It  was  in 
recognition  of  this  principle  that  the  Legislature  passed  the 
act  15  or  20  years  ago  authorizing  an  apportionment  of  the 
cost  of  such  operations  between  the  city  and  the  companies 
involved. 

The  only  concrete  fact  which  the  city  had  to  build  upon 
was  the  right  to  compel  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad 
Company  to  make  an  overhead  crossing  of  Broad  Street  at 
the  joint  expense  of  the  company  and  of  the  City.  From 
this  starting  point  the  municipal  authorities  succeeded  in 

17 


convincing  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Company  that  if  its  cross- 
ing of  Broad  Street  was  to  be  elevated,  its  entire  Oregon 
Avenue  line  would  have  to  be  elevated;  that  this  would  be 
an  unsatisfactory  solution  both  for  the  company  and  for  the 
City ;  that  the  agitation  now  directed  against  the  Baltimore 
and  Ohio  would  within  a  very  few  years  be  directed  against 
the  Pennsylvania  tracks  a  few  blocks  south,  and  that  the 
proper  solution  would  be  to  abandon  both  these  lines  and 
substitute  for  them  a  line  girdling  the  southern  portion  of 
the  City  from  Twenty-fifth  Street  and  Passyunk  Avenue  to 
Delaware  Avenue  and  Queen  Street. 

Then  came  the  relation  of  the  Philadelphia  Belt  Line 
Railroad  Company  to  the  enterprise.  The  ideal  solution 
would  have  been  for  either  the  City  or  the  Belt  Line  Com- 
pany to  build  the  new  track,  but  in  the  way  of  this  solution 
stood  very  serious  if  not  insuperable  legal,  financial  and 
operating  difficulties.  The  attitude  of  the  representatives 
of  the  City  has  been  from  the  first  that  the  new  line  must  be 
a  Belt  Line  in  substance  and  fact,  in  whatever  company  or 
companies  the  legal  title  to  it  might  be  vested.  Appreciating 
the  self-sacrificing  interest  which  had  been  shown  by  the 
public-spirited  citizens  who  had  organized  the  Belt  Line  and 
kept  it  alive  for  more  than  20  years,  they  insisted  that  both 
its  present  rights  and  its  capacity  for  future  development 
must  be  preserved.  These  things  are  accomplished  by  the 
agreement. 

As  the  Mayor  points  out,  the  Belt  Line  is  protected  both 
in  its  municipal  franchises  and  in  its  existing  agreements 
with  other  railroads.  It  is  given  the  right  to  extend  its 
tracks  down  the  whole  length  of  Delaware  Avenue  to  Hoyt 
Street,  where  the  new  railroad  yards  will  be  located,  and 
west  of  that  point  it  is  vested  with  a  right-of-way  parallel- 
ing the  tracks  of  the  other  companies.  It  is  covenanted  and 
agreed  that  the  four  tracks  of  the  other  companies  shall  be 
open  to  any  other  company  now  or  hereafter  entering  the 
City  on  what  is  called  "equal"  terms,  but  which  are  really 
preferential  terms,  in  at  least  two  respects. 

The  Pennsylvania  and  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  make  an 
investment  of  over  $12,000,000,  and  must  carry  this  invest- 
ment for  a  considerable  period  of  time,  during  which  it  can- 

18 


not  be  productive  of  adequate  revenue.  A  new  company  can 
come  in  either  at  once  or  after  the  location  of  industries  and 
the  construction  of  municipal  wharves  have  made  the  line  a 
great  traffic  producer.  The  new  company  can  then  come  in 
without  refunding  any  portion  of  the  investment  of  the  other 
companies,  merely  paying  its  share  of  operating  expenses 
and  a  rental  representing  interest  on  one-third  of  the 
cost.  The  new  company  will  further  have  the  invaluable 
privilege  of  having  the  line  divided  into  two  parts,  and  using 
either  or  both  of  these  parts.  The  great  advantage  of  this 
arrangement  lies  in  the  fact  that  the  section  on  Delaware 
Avenue  will  be  for  many  years,  if  not  always,  the  most  valu- 
able section  from  a  traffic  standpoint,  although  it  is  a  section 
where,  owing  to  the  fact  that  there  is  no  right-of-way  to 
be  bought  and  little  or  no  grading  to  be  done,  the  construc- 
tion cost  will  be  extremely  low,  making  the  rental  of  that 
section  correspondingly  low.  This  is  an  arrangement  which 
probably  would  never  be  made  in  any  mere  bargain  between 
two  railroad  companies,  and  it  is  a  tribute  alike  to  the  insist- 
ence of  the  City  officials  and  the  broad  spirit  in  which  the 
railroad  officials  have  approached  the  proposition,  that  this 
arrangement  is  provided. 

An  examination  of  the  agreement  shows  that  the  pro- 
visions for  the  maintenance  of  the  new  road  as  an  "open 
gateway"  are  of  the  most  positive  and  specific  character ;  that 
legal  precautions  are  taken  to  make  these  provisions  enforce- 
able by  the  specific  decree  of  a  Court  of  Equity,  while  if  all 
of  these  precautions  should  fail,  the  possibility  of  monopoli- 
zation is  effectually  precluded  by  the  grant  of  a  right-of-way 
to  the  Belt  Line. 

The  benefits  of  the  agreement  are  far-reaching.  The  ele- 
vation of  the  Washington  Avenue  line  and  of  the  lines  on 
Twenty-fifth  and  Twenty-ninth  Streets,  and  the  abandon- 
ment of  the  lines  on  Oregon  Avenue  and  immediately  south 
of  that  street,  will  do  away  with  interruption  to  traffic  and 
peril  to  life  and  limb,  and  will  open  up  for  residential  occu- 
pancy thousands  of  acres  of  land  in  South  Philadelphia  with- 
in four  or  five  miles  of  the  City  Hall,  which  have  been  cut 
off  for  a  generation.  These,  however,  are  the  least  of  the 
advantages. 

19 


The  agreement  provides  for  the  sale  to  the  City  of 
nearly  three-fourths  of  a  mile  of  Delaware  River  frontage, 
contiguous  to  undeveloped  lands,  on  which  the  City  can  con- 
struct the  best  designed  and  most  comprehensive  system  of 
port  improvements  on  the  Atlantic  coast.  In  return  for  the 
vacation  of  Washington  Avenue  east  of  Delaware  Avenue, 
and  of  a  few  unopened  streets  in  the  southwestern  part  of 
the  City,  the  railroad  companies  dedicate  to  the  City  all  land 
and  buildings  owned  or  controlled  by  them  which  will  be 
needed  for  the  opening  of  the  widened  Delaware  Avenue 
south  of  Christian  Street.  This  will  enormously  reduce  the 
damages  incident  to  such  opening,  and  with  comparatively 
slight  additions  to  the  fund  of  $250,000  provided  in  the  last 
loan  for  that  purpose,  the  opening  of  this  great  marginal 
thoroughfare  can  now  proceed  rapidly.  By  the  single  opera- 
tion of  dredging  from  the  Delaware  River  to  fill  in  the  site 
of  the  railroad  yards  between  Greenwich  Point  and  League 
Island,  the  Horse  Shoe  Shoal  will  be  removed,  and  hundreds 
of  acres  of  mosquito-breeding  and  disease-producing  swamps 
will  be  reclaimed.  A  great  Belt  Line  will  be  constructed, 
serving  all  the  public  and  private  wharves  on  the  Delaware 
River,  and  on  the  inner  side  of  the  circle  there  will  be  im- 
mediately available  desirable  sites  for  industrial  establish- 
ments capable  of  giving  employment  to  many  thousands. 

Back  again  from  these  industrial  establishments  will 
be  a  great  residential  area.  The  development  of  these  indus- 
trial sites  and  residential  area  will  add  millions  to  the  as- 
sessed value  of  the  wards  affected,  and  thus  yield  to  the  City 
an  annual  revenue  in  taxation  which  will  repay  it  many  fold 
for  its  contribution  to  this  monumental  work.  At  a  time 
when  the  shadow  of  possible  industrial  depression  hangs 
over  us,  the  inauguration  of  an  operation  which  involves  the 
expenditure  right  in  our  own  City  of  over  $18,000,000  is  per- 
haps not  the  least  of  the  advantages. 

In  a  population  of  more  than  a  million  and  a  half  of 
people  there  must  necessarily  be  some  whose  narrow  vision 
or  desire  to  make  personal  or  political  capital  causes  them  to 
criticise.  It  is  quite  possible  that,  in  spite  of  the  time  that 
has  been  spent  on  this  agreement,  and  the  manifest  care 
with  which  it  has  been  drawn,  still  further  improvement 
may  be  possible,  but  the  Public  Ledger  extends  its  hearty 

20 


THE  PREVAILING  TYPE  OF  STREET  AND  ONTE  FAMILY  HOUSES.     VIEW  NORTH 
ON  SIXTEENTH  STREET  FROM  OREGON  AVENUE 


A  NEW  TYPE  OF  STREET  AND  ONE  FAMILY  HOUSES.    THE  GTRARD  ESTATE 
IMPROVEMENTS.     COLORADO  STREET  NORTH   FROM  SHUNK  STREET 


congratulations  to  all  those  who  have  co-operated  in  bring- 
ing this  splendid  plan  to  its  present  stage,  and  believes  that 
intelligent  public  sentiment,  while  welcoming  useful  and  con- 
structive suggestions,  will  have  little  tolerance  for  those 
who  may  be  disposed  to  merely  criticise  from  unworthy 
motives.  It  will  now  be  in  order  for  every  commercial  or- 
ganization and  every  association  of  business  men  or  of 
citizens  of  any  trade,  class  or  profession,  who  have  the 
interests  of  Philadelphia  at  heart,  to  study  this  agreement 
carefully,  and  then  express  themselves  in  no  uncertain  tones. 

A  GREAT  PORT  PROMISED 
The  Philadelphia  Inquirer,  July  g,  1913. 
The  great,  the  important  feature  of  the  agreement 
which  the  City,  the  railways  and  the  Belt  Line,  through 
their  respective  officials,  have  reached  is  the  brilliant  prom- 
ise that  at  last  the  way  is  opening  for  Philadelphia  to  become 
a  port  of  magnitude.  The  removal  of  all  grade  crossings  in 
South  Philadelphia  means  the  development  of  much  territory 
now  practically  unoccupied.  But,  after  all,  these  removals 
were  bound  to  come  in  any  event  in  the  course  of  time.  That 
time  is  hastened  by  the  port-building  that  is  contemplated, 
which  is  the  vital  thing. 

The  opportunities  confronting  Philadelphia  have  been 
fully  realized  for  many  a  long  year.  City  administrations 
have  talked.  Councils  have  talked.  Everybody  has  talked, 
but  nothing  has  been  actually  accomplished  beyond  the  con- 
struction of  one  or  two  piers.  Down  the  river  as  far  as 
League  Island  the  possibilities  for  expansion  have  been  in- 
vitingly exposed  to  view.    But  the  City  has  lacked  money — 

lacked  a  unity  of  purpose  as  well.  It  is  no  longer  diffi- 
cult to  see  where  the  money  is  coming  from,  whereas  the 
agreement  clears  away  all  obstacles  save  the  actual  financ- 
ing of  the  vast  proposition. 

That  is  to  say,  all  obstacles  are  cleared  away  if  Coun- 
cils shall  agree  to  the  plans,  for  they  have  the  final  say. 
Naturally,  then,  the  rather  intricate  articles  of  the  agree- 
ment will  receive  a  great  deal  of  study  from  them,  while 
the  various  business  associations  of  the  City  will  discuss 
and  criticise  or  approve.  After  a  day's  careful  considera- 
tion of  the  plans  and  of  the  agreement,  The  Inquirer  finds 

21 


very  little  to  criticise,  very  much  to  applaud.  Indeed,  when 
the  difficulties  which  confronted  the  Mayor  and  his  advisers 
are  taken  into  consideration — difficulties  which  few  citizens 
can  possibly  understand,  considering  that  they  could  not  be 
conversant  with  the  serious  questions  that  have  been  settled 
only  after  numerous  conferences — when  these  difficulties  are 
taken  into  consideration,  The  Inquirer  is  of  the  opinion  that 
the  City's  representatives  have  deserved  the  cordial  support 
of  the  public,  and  that  support  this  journal  unhesitatingly 
gives.  It  may  be  that  some  Councilmen  can  pick  a  flaw  here 
and  there,  but  we  doubt  it.  The  work  of  the  conferees  has 
been  done  splendidly.  No  matter  has  been  overlooked,  so 
far  as  we  can  discover.  Indeed,  we  do  not  see  how  it  would 
have  been  possible  to  safeguard  the  City's  interests  more 
thoroughly,  and  our  advice  to  Councils  is  to  co-operate  heart- 
ily in  carrying  out  the  agreement. 

For  what  is  it  that  the  administration  has  in  view? 
Leaving  aside  the  removal  of  grade  crossings  which  is  pro- 
vided for,  there  is  contemplated  on  the  Delaware  front  a 
collection  of  wharves  that  probably  cannot  be  duplicated  else- 
where. Philadelphians  who  are  familiar  with  the  water 
front  will  readily  recall  the  nest  of  coaling  piers  known  as 
the  Greenwich  Piers,  stretching  between  Bigler  and  Hoyt 
streets,  a  distance  of  2,500  feet.  This  property  the  City  is  to 
acquire  from  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad.  Further  up  the 
stream,  between  McKean  and  Snyder  Avenue,  is  a  900-foot 
stretch  belonging  to  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio,  which  the  City 
will  also  buy.  Between  these  two  railroad  holdings  is  a  con- 
siderable territory  only  partially  developed,  which  the  City 
can  acquire  under  the  right  of  eminent  domain.  Counting 
this  in,  the  City  can  take  over  something  like  7,200  feet,  or 
nearly  a  mile  and  a  half.  There  is  room  here  for  sixteen  to 
twenty  wharves.  The  Department  of  Wharves  already  has 
plans  drawn  for  twelve  piers  1,200  feet  in  length.  There  will 
be  ample  room  for  trackage,  for  freight  terminals  and  stor- 
age warehouses  and  for  manufacturing  plants  to  cluster 
along  this  vast  improvement. 

To  make  way  for  these  City  developments — for  the  con- 
struction of  the  magnificent  city-owned  terminals  —  the 
Pennsylvania  and  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroads  will  move 
down  the  river  to  the  extreme  end  of  South  Philadelphia, 

22 


adjoining  League  Island.  There  they  will  have  their  own 
coaling  piers  and  their  own  freight  yards.  Without  any 
qualification  whatever,  we  believe  this  anangement  to  be 
an  ideal  one. 

T.ut  what  are  wharves  without  connecting  railroads? 
And  it  was  over  this  problem  that  the  representatives  of  the 
City  and  of  the  railroads,  including  those  of  the  Belt  Line, 
had  many  a  haul  day's  work.  Had  the  Belt  Line  been  in  a 
position  to  construct  the  necessary  trackage,  there  would 
have  been  no  problem  at  all.    But  it  wasn't.    How,  then,  were 

ights  to  be  maintained  and  the  tracks  laid  down  by  other 
corporations?  For  the  Belt  Line  represents  a  great  principle 
— that  of  the  open  door  to  all  railway  lines  of  the  future  and 
the  guarantee  of  impartiality. 

Briefly  stated,  here  is  the  plan  that  has  been  adopted: 
All  existing  grade  crossings  to  be  abolished  :  a  four-track 
line,  to  be  owned  by  the  Pennsylvania  and  the  Baltimore  and 
Ohio,  to  skirt  League  Island  across  to  the  Delaware  an< 
follow  up  the  Delaware,   tapping  e  rharf,  public  and 

private,  to  Q  reet,  from  which  point  Delaware  Avenue 

will  be  served  by  existing  lines.  But — and  here  is  the  point 
— the  P  Baltimore  and  Ohio  contract  to  open 

their  lines  to  any  railroad  that  Beekfl  entrance,  and,  as  a  pre- 
cautionary measure,  the  Belt  Line  may  parallel  the  four- 
track  line  at  any  time.  Thus  will  shipping  receive  equal 
treatment,  thus  will  the  open  door  be  kept  constantly  open. 

All  this  is  going  to  cost  money — much  money — of 
course.    The  removal  of  grade  i  he  abandonment 

of  existing  rails,  the  construction  of  the  four-track  line, 
which  is  for  all  practical  purposes  a  true  belt  line,  will  re- 
quire an  expenditure  of  about  $19,000,000.  Of  this  sum  the 
City  will  shoulder  m  -^00,000,  but  it  will  gain  the  I 

front  property  of  the  Pennsylvania  and  Baltimore  and  Ohio 
valued  at  $3,300,000. 

It  has  been  the  pleasure  of  the  Inquirer  always  to  lead 
in  every  movement  for  municipal  development.  It  has 
known  no  politics  in  this  connection.  It  has  fought  for  prog- 

and  it  has  welcomed  aid  from  any  and  every  quarter. 
It  has  made  no  particle  of  difference  to  us  whether  it  v.  . 
Reyburn  or  a  Flankenbmg  \  commanding  the  forces 


of  progress  at  the  City  Hall.    This  journal  has  asked  and  de- 
manded only  that  something  practical  should  be  done. 

Well,  something  is  being  done  right  now,  and  it  extends 
its  most  hearty  congratulations  to  Mayor  Blankenburg  and 
to  those  of  his  directors  who  have  been  so  tirelessly  laboring 
to  produce  results. 

It  is  a  grand  agreement  that  has  been  reached.  There 
is  needed  but  the  sanction  of  Councils  to  place  it  in  opera- 
tion.   That  sanction  we  urge  Councils  to  give. 

After  that — let's  get  to  work ! 

PHILADELPHIA  AS  A  PORT 

The  Philadelphia  Inquire?',  July  13,  1913. 

Should  Councils  indorse  the  agreement  entered  into  be- 
tween Mayor  Blankenburg,  Directors  Norris  and  Cooke,  the 
officials  of  the  Pennsylvania  and  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Rail- 
roads and  those  of  the  Belt  Line — a  unanimous  agreement, 
by  the  way — a  great  section  of  South  Philadelphia  will  be 
revolutionized. 

The  removal  of  all  the  grade  crossings  will  be  no  small 
improvement  in  itself,  for  much  unoccupied  territory  will  be 
opened  to  building  operations.  But  it  is  over  on  the  Dela- 
ware River  front  that  the  most  important  work  will  be  un- 
dertaken. Here  a  vast  port  is  to  be  manufactured — actually 
manufactured.  Wharves  are  to  be  constructed,  railway  ter- 
minals built,  warehouses  for  storage  purposes  erected,  while 
in  close  touch  with  railroad  and  wharf  there  should  spring 
up  various  manufacturing  plants. 

The  Inquirer  is  exceedingly  happy  over  the  promised 
development.  It  has  for  years  called  attention  to  the  im- 
mense possibilities  for  extending  commerce.  As  a  City  we 
have  been  exceedingly  neglectful  of  these  opportunities.  A 
great  amount  of  space  has  been  going  to  waste.  For  the 
broad  acres  that  the  city  can  purchase  at  a  comparatively 
small  expense,  New  York  would  be  willing  to  pay  millions 
upon  millions.  New  York's  harbor  space  is  limited  and  con- 
gested. What  is  more,  the  piers  of  Manhattan  are  without 
railroad  connection,  hence  there  is  no  transfer  from  ship  to 
railway  car.   True,  private  enterprise  in  Brooklyn  has  un- 

24 


dertaken  to  make  a  certain  connection,  but  it  is  an  expensive 
enterprise.  In  Philadelphia  wharves  and  terminals  can  be 
led  at  much  less  cost  and,  when  finished,  can  handle 
freight  much  cheaper  than  elsewhere,  save,  possibly,  in  Bos- 
ton, where  there  is  a  plan  for  a  considerable  wharf  develop- 
ment. 

The  natural  facilities  which  Philadelphia  enjoys  are  un- 
rivaled. This  means  very  much,  for  if  we  can  demonstrate 
that  ocean  freight  can  be  taken  care  of  more  expeditiously 
and  with  greater  economy  than  elsewhere,  we  can  invite 
steamship  lines  to  take  advantage  of  the  opportunities  to 
save  money,  and  they  will  not  be  slow  in  showing  their  ap- 
preciation of  municipal  enterprise. 

This  argument  we  have  advanced  time  and  time  again. 
It  has  never  been  disputed.  It  could  not  be.  But  the  months 
have  dragged  into  years  and  little  has  been  accomplished  in 
a  practical  way.  But  at  last  the  clouds  are  breaking  and  the 
clear  light  of  day  is  shining  through  the  rifts.  The  great 
task  of  bringing  the  City  and  the  railway  lines  into  an  agree- 
ment under  which  city-owned  wharves  can  be  served  by  a 
genuine  belt  line  extending  along  the  water  front  has  been 
accomplished  within  the  week.  There  is  needed  now  only 
the  indorsement  of  Councils,  together  with  the  finding  of  a 
few  millions  of  dollars  to  inaugurate  a  vast  enterprise  that 
cannot  fail  to  make  of  Philadelphia  a  port  second  only  to 
New  York  in  magnitude  and  importance. 

A  GREAT  PORT-  BUT  NOT  AT  ONCE 

Iphia  Inquirer.  July  II,  1913. 

Should  Councils  indorse  the  agreement  entered  into  be- 
tween the  City  administration  and  the  officials  of  the  rail- 
roads regarding  the  removal  of  grade  crossings  in  South 
Philadelphia  and  the  development  of  the  Delaware  River 
front,  a  great  port  will  be  a  certainty — but  not  all  at  once. 
Time  will  be  required  to  carry  out  the  plans — time  and 
money.    But  a  beginning  can  be  made  almost  immediately. 

The  proposition  is  to  remove  the  Greenwich  coal  piers 
of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  and  the  wharves  of  the  Bal- 
timore and  Ohio  located  just  above  them  to  the  extremity 
of  South  Philadelphia,  adjoining  League  Island,  the  aban- 


doned  territory  to  be  developed  by  the  City.  But  the  future 
site  of  the  railway  wharves  is  now  largely  under  water.  It 
will  be  necessary  to  construct  a  bulkhead  near  the  line  of 
the  channel  and  fill  in  the  shoals  with  material  dredged  from 
the  river.  After  this  is  done,  the  railway  wharves  must  be 
built  before  the  City  can  enter  upon  its  own  domain.  Mean- 
while, of  course,  there  will  be  nothing  to  prevent  the  laying 
of  the  rails  for  the  contemplated  four-track  belt  line  that 
will  skirt  the  lower  Schuylkill  and  the  Delaware. 

It  is  estimated  that  three  years  will  be  required  to  make 
the  changes,  and  the  City  will  be  called  upon  to  furnish 
something  like  $6,000,000  to  aid  in  the  grade  crossing  erad- 
ication. It  has  some  funds  available  at  present.  But  it  will 
need  many  millions  to  construct  the  nest  of  wharves  for 
which  plans  have  been  made.  Where  is  the  money  coming 
from? 

Foresight  is  paving  the  way.  The  late  Legislature 
adopted  a  resolution  proposing  a  constitutional  amendment 
under  which  Philadelphia  is  given  the  authority  to  borrow 
$25,000,000,  regardless  of  debt  limitations,  for  the  special 
purpose  of  wharf  building.  It  will  be  necessary  for  the  next 
Legislature  to  indorse  that  resolution  and  for  the  people  in 
general  election  to  ratify  it.  But  if  all  goes  well,  in  two 
years  from  November  next  the  City  will  have  the  authority 
to  borrow  its  $25,000,000  and  thus  finance  the  wharf  opera- 
tion.   In  plenty  of  time,  that  will  be. 

The  City  contemplates  taking  over  about  one  mile  and 
a  half  of  river  front  and  constructing  eventually,  as  needed, 
something  like  a  score  of  immense  wharves.  It  is  a  pity 
that  work  upon  them  cannot  begin  at  once,  for  the  Panama 
Canal  will  be  in  full  operation  by  January  1,  1915,  and  very 
much  is  expected  in  the  way  of  increased  commerce  because 
of  it.  There  will  be  a  demand  for  wharf  facilities,  and  the 
port  that  can  offer  a  cheap  handling  of  freight  is  bound  to 
benefit  materially.  But  Philadelphia  as  a  corporation  will 
not  be  entirely  wharfless.  In  addition  to  the  great  Green- 
wich improvement,  two  City  wharves  are  to  be  constructed 
in  the  near  future  in  the  Queen  Street  section,  which  is  in 
the  immediate  neighborhood  of  the  Pennsylvania's  trans- 
atlantic steamship  piers,  and  a  City  wharf  is  under  con- 
struction at  Dock  Street.    So  we  are  moving  along. 

26 


It  is  gratifying  to  observe  that,  so  far  as  heard  from, 
the  agreement  is  receiving  the  indorsement  of  the  commer- 
cial interests.  This,  of  course,  means  success.  That  Coun- 
cils will  give  their  approval  cannot  be  doubted.  When  City 
officials,  the  railroads  and  the  all-important  Belt  Line  unite 
in  a  unanimous  compact,  nothing  but  Councilmanic  consent 
can  be  anticipated. 

GREAT  MUNICIPAL  IMPROVEMENT 
The  Press.  July  9t  1913. 

The  arrangement  just  concluded  by  the  Mayor  with  the 
several  railroads  having  surface  tracks  in  the  southern  sec- 
tion of  the  City  is  the  biggest  single  step  in  municipal  im- 
provement that  has  been  made  here  in  this  generation.  It  is 
not  simply  that  a  large  number  of  grade  crossings  will  be  re- 
moved under  the  agreement,  though  this  itself  is  an  advance 
of  inestimable  magnitude.  Grade  crossings  an'  always  a 
grievous  nuisance,  but  the  tracks  of  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio 
and  the  Pennsylvania  Railroads  in  the  extreme  southern 
section  of  the  City  stopped  the  progress  of  improvement. 
They  constituted  a  dead  wall  at  which  most  streets  and  all 
building  construction  stopped.  Improvement  refused  to  go 
further  south  until  these  tracks  were  taken  out  of  the  way. 

This  will  be  done  under  the  agreement,  and  the  tracks 
of  both  railroads  will  be  taken  up  and  placed  together  along 
an  extreme  southerly  course-  which  will  be  out  of  the  way 
and  will  be  e\e\  ated  over  the  larger  portion  of  the  route.  This 
will  throw  open  to  improvement  and  building  operations 
many  thousand  acres  of  land  situated  no  further  from  City 
Hall  than  Fifty-second  Street  or  Lehigh  Avenue.  Some  of 
the  land  is  low  and  requires  filling  in,  but  this  can  be  done 
by  dredging  from  the  two  rivers  in  order  to  secure  the 
deeper  harbor  and  the  deeper  docks  which  our  commerce 
requires  and  which  the  new  pier  construction  will  make 
necessary. 

The  new  large  piers  to  be  constructed  by  the  City,  and 
by  the  Pennsylvania  and  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroads  in 
addition,  are  one  of  the  vital  features  of  this  arrangement. 
This  long-delayed  improvement  has  been  hampered  by  many 
obstacles,  but  now  apparently  the  way  is  secured  for  its 

27 


early  realization.  The  interests  and  permanence  of  the  Belt 
Line  are  also  understood  to  be  safeguarded  and  made  a 
feature  of  this  agreement  for  the  improvement  and  develop- 
ment of  South  Philadelphia.  The  change  of  the  railroad 
grade  will  probably  be  the  first  change  in  order;  then  the 
filling  in  of  the  low  land,  the  extension  of  the  street  grades 
and  the  construction  of  piers  can  proceed  apace.  There  has 
been  so  much  delay  that  there  is  now  need  of  hastening  the 
good  work. 

The  proposed  elevation  of  the  Washington  Avenue 
tracks  is  one  of  the  very  gratifying  features  of  this  arrange- 
ment. They  have  long  been  an  obstruction  and  nuisance 
and  a  source  of  delay  to  traffic,  while  offering  an  ever- 
present  danger  of  collision.  In  the  densely  built-up  section 
of  the  City  they  are  almost  the  last  surviving  outpost  of  the 
persistent  grade  crossing  not  already  in  process  of  removal. 
They  cannot  go  too  soon,  to  the  great  relief  of  southern 
Philadelphia,  now  soon  to  experience  a  boom  and  an  expan- 
sion that  will  carry  its  building  lines  to  the  League  Island 
back  channel  that  bounds  the  City's  limits  on  the  south. 

A  NEW  SOUTH  PHILADELPHIA 

The  Press,  July  13,  1913. 

The  agreement  to  remove  the  surface  railroad  tracks  in 
the  southern  part  of  the  city  and  open  that  section  to  imme- 
diate improvement  and  settlement  is  recognized  on  all  hands 
as  an  enormous  advance  step  in  the  city's  development.  It 
not  only  will  throw  open  more  than  four  thousand  unoccu- 
pied acres  to  building  operation,  but  it  prepares  the  way  for 
the  proposed  wharf  and  dock  development  in  the  only  sec- 
tion of  the  city  which  is  free  for  large  plans  of  the  character 
in  contemplation.  The  big  empty  southern  wards  within 
three  and  four  miles  of  City  Hall  will  fill  up  with  homes  and 
industries  and  a  large  area  of  land  of  high  taxable  value 
will  be  added  to  the  city's  assessed  valuation. 

As  it  is  now  it  was  recognized  that  the  railroad  tracks 
had  to  be  readjusted  and  the  grade  of  the  land  raised  before 
the  big  tract  could  be  utilized.  In  consequence  even  pioneer 
improvements  held  aloof  from  it  until  its  final  disposition 
was  assured.    It  is  a  big  point  in  favor  of  the  arrangement 

28 


ed  upon  that  the  Federal  Government  is  willing  to 
deliver  its  dredged  material  on  to  a  portion  of  this  area  at 
a  low  rate.  The  pernicious  practice  formerly  in  vogue  of 
depositing  the  mat  ewhere     in  the  river  has  been 

stopped,  but  it  is  hardly  less  sinful  to  waste  it  on  the  swamps 
of  the  N  !iore  when  it  is  needed  to  give  elevation 

drainage  to  the  lowlands  within  the  city  limits  just 
ive  League  Island. 

cost  of  the  removal  of  the  grade  crossings,  includ- 
ing those  on  : :^ton  Avenue,  and  the  establishment  of 

new  line  will  be  $18,758,000,  divided  between  the  city 
and  the  two  railroad  companies  concerned.  The  city's  share 
of  ti  00,  is  a  low  price  to  pay  for  the  direct 

incidental  benefit  to  the  municipality  of  opening  up  more 

'  4000  acres  for  home  and  factory  sites  and  making 
available  for  development  under  city  control  of  a  mile  and  a 
ball'  of  unutiliz  d  D  River  front  comparatively  near 

the  busi.    '  -  ion  of  the  | 

The  improvement  there  made  possible  should  be  pushed 

ard  without  further  delay.     It  means  that  a  new  and 

y  will  Bpring  up  on  what  is  now  waste  and  unutilized 

I  that  tlie  building  of  Philadelphia  will  be  completed 

southward  t<>  the  junction  of  the  S  ill  and  Delaware 

Rivers. 

A  GREAT  STEP  FORWARD 
The  Philadelphia  Record,  July  8,  1913 

In  broad  comprehensiveness  for  the  correction  of  pres- 
ent evils,  the  d  .ent  of  the  city's  waterfront,  the 
improvement  of  the  railroad  it  terminal  facilities  and 
the  opening  up  for  business  and  residential  purposes  of  a 
tract  of  now  practically  waste  land,  it  is  no  exaggera- 
tion to  Bay  that  in  the  whole  history  of  Philadelphia  no  step 
has  ever  been  taken  that  approaches  the  agreement  reached 

erday  between  the  city,  the  Pennsylvania  and  Balti- 
more &  Ohio  Railroads  and  the  P>elt  Line.    The  conferences 

ing  up  to  this  understanding  have  been  protracted,  and 
at  times  progress  has  seemed  provokingly  slow,  but  in  view 
of  the  magnitude  ^f  the  changes  to  be  made,  the  conflicting 
interests  to  be  adjusted  and  the  innumerable  details  to  be 


worked  out,  it  can  now  be  seen  that  rapid  action  was  impos- 
sible. It  is  especially  gratifying  to  find  that  the  rights  of 
the  Belt  Line  have  been  fully  protected,  so  that  the  river 
front  can  never  be  bottled  up  and  competition  excluded. 

Important  as  is  the  proposed  abolition  of  grade  cross- 
ings in  South  Philadelphia  through  the  entire  removal  of 
some  tracks,  the  elevation  of  others  and  the  rerouting  of 
existing  lines,  we  look  upon  the  plans  for  the  acquisition 
by  the  municipality  of  the  extensive  river  front  properties 
of  the  Pennsylvania  and  the  Baltimore  &  Ohio  Railroads  at 
Snyder  Avenue  and  Greenwich  Point  as  likely  to  have  a  far 
greater  influence  upon  the  future  development  of  Philadel- 
phia. The  possibilities  opened  up  for  a  great  combination 
of  municipal  piers  and  docks,  ample  and  convenient  railroad 
facilities  and  abundant  space  for  the  location  of  great  indus- 
trial concerns  are  such  that  this  portion  of  the  Delaware 
River  frontage  is  inevitably  destined  to  become  a  district 
of  vast  commerce  and  importance. 

It  is  gratifying  to  learn  from  Chief  Webster,  of  the 
Survey  Bureau,  that  in  carrying  out  these  broadminded 
plans  for  the  city's  future  a  greater  foresight  is  to  be 
shown  than  in  past  municipal  planning.  Not  only  are  the 
4000  acres  of  the  Neck  to  be  brought  up  to  the  requisite 
grade,  but  broad  streets,  diagonal  avenues,  parks  and  play- 
grounds are  to  be  laid  out  in  such  a  way  as  will  be  most 
conducive  to  the  comfort  and  health  of  the  great  population 
that  will  make  its  future  home  there.  Philadelphia  will  thus 
have  a  really  unique  opportunity  to  show  what  it  can 
accomplish  in  the  way  of  the  most  advanced  city-building. 

It  augurs  well  for  the  future  that  in  coming  to  an 
agreement  upon  these  vast  projected  improvements  all  the 
interests  involved  have  shown  a  desire  to  co-operate  loyally 
for  the  welfare  of  the  city.  In  the  competition  of  communi- 
ties this  joint  action  is  absolutely  necessary  if  we  are  not 
to  fall  behind.  It  only  remains  for  City  Councils  to  set  the 
seal  of  their  approval  upon  the  agreement  reached.  This 
they  will,  of  course,  be  glad  to  do,  and  Philadelphia  will 
then  be  prepared  to  make  another  great  step  forward. 

30 


SUCCESSFUL  TEAM  WORK 

The  Philadelphia  Record,  July  11,  1913. 

In  many  ways  the  most  impressive  feature  of  the  agree- 
ment just  concluded  between  the  city  and  the  railroads  for 
the  abolition  of  grade  crossings  and  the  construction  of  new 
piers  and  terminal  facilities  is  the  spirit  of  team  work  dis- 
played between  the  municipality  and  the  corporations.  The 
officials  tackled  the  many  intricate  problems  involved  with 
the  one  idea  that,  if  they  were  to  be  solved  successfully, 
there  must  be  complete  co-operation  between  all  inter 
as  they  were  too  big  for  any  one  party  in  the  agreement  to 
swing  alone.  Careful  study  was  made  of  what  future 
requirements  were  likely  to  be,  and  the  sole  desire  seems  to 
have  been  to  reach  a  conclusion  from  which  both  railroads 
and  city  would  derive  the  greatest  profit,  without  either  side 
attempting  to  take  an  undue  advantage  of  the  other. 

In  view  of  the  remarkable  growth  of  great  cities,  which 
is  constantly  giving  rise  to  new  difficulties  and  new  problems, 
it  is  evident  that  these  can  only  be  met  successfully  when 
there  is  a  spirit  of  harmonious  co-operation  between  all  the 
great  interests,  instead  of  the  old  policy  of  individual  action 
which  prevailed  so  long.  It  is  in  this  spirit  that  Philadel- 
phia is  preparing  to  construct  a  municipal  subway — an 
enterprise  far  exceeding  the  present  financial  powers  of  the 
Rapid  Transit  Company.  In  the  same  way  New  York  and 
Boston  have  spent  vast  sums  in  the  construction  of  munici- 
pal subways  and  elevated  lines,  which  have  been  turned 
over  to  private  companies  for  operation.  They  have  also 
gone  to  great  expense,  as  has  Philadelphia,  in  building  piers 
for  the  use  of  steamship  lines  in  which  they  have  no  direct 
interest. 

The  truth  is  that  in  the  growing  competition  of  com- 
munities the  necessary  outlays  required  for  great  under- 
takings are  so  vast  that  private  effort  could  not  supply  the 
needed  capital,  even  if  it  should  be  desirable.  It  is  roughly 
estimated  that  the  contemplated  improvements  in  South 
Philadelphia  will  cost  some  $18,000,000,  but  the  chances  are 
that  the  figures  will  greatly  exceed  that  amount.  With  the 
expense  divided  between  three  the  burden  will  not  be  exces- 
sive on  any  one.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  in  working  out  the 
problems  involved  in  providing  a  more  complete  system  of 

31 


rapid  transit  for  Philadelphia  and  in  operating  it  the  same 
spirit  of  harmonious  co-operation  will  be  followed.  It  is  the 
only  sane  and  logical  method.  Both  the  city  and  the  public 
utility  corporations  have  wants  which  are  too  big  and  intri- 
cate to  be  grappled  with  single-handed,  and  to  achieve  the 
best  results  all  interests  must  work  together  in  the  spirit 
with  which  the  South  Philadelphia  situation  has  been  faced. 

THE  SOUTH  PHILADELPHIA  AGREEMENT 

The  Evening  Bulletin.  July  S,   ipi 3. 

The  obvious  advantages  to  the  public  interest  to  be 
gained  by  the  elimination  of  grade  crossings  in  South  Phila- 
delphia, the  completion  of  a  belt  line  and  the  opportunity 
for  important  waterfront  development,  involved  in  the 
tentative  agreement  which  has  been  reached  by  representa- 
tives of  the  city  and  of  the  railroads,  are  so  many  that  the 
inclination  is  for  immediate  and  hearty  approval.  But  the 
undertaking  is  of  such  importance  and  scope,  affecting  so 
many  interests,  present  and  future,  that  no  plans  should  be 
accepted  without  full  and  careful  consideration,  for  which 
the  public  is  now  given  its  first  opportunity. 

The  abolition  of  the  grade  crossing  in  South  Philadel- 
phia is  a  public  necessity,  and  there  is  full  warrant  for  what- 
ever expenditure  of  money  may  be  required  on  this  account, 
even  without  taking  into  consideration  the  increased  reve- 
nue which  will  be  returned  to  the  city,  in  compensation  for 
this  expenditure,  through  the  development  of  large  areas  of 
land  for  available  and  desirable  building  purposes.  From 
some  points  of  view  it  is  a  matter  of  regret  that  Washington 
Avenue  must  continue  to  be  a  railroad  route,  crossing  Broad 
Street  and  parallel  streets  with  its  overhead  construction, 
and  if  this  is  deemed  necessary,  the  city  should  insist  that 
the  bridges  and  general  overhead  structure  shall  be  of  such 
a  character  as  will  least  mar  the  aesthetic  as  well  as  the 
utilitarian  development  of  the  section.  The  retention  of 
the  surface  tracks  on  Swanson  Street  and  the  paralleling 
of  that  line  for  a  considerable  distance  on  Vandalia  Street 
also  seem  somewhat  incongruous  with  the  general  scheme 
of  the  improvement,  which  is  to  relieve  the  public  streets 
of  railroad  traffic,  and  it  may  be  found  worth  while  to  con- 
sider whether,  with  the  new  belt  line  sweeping  the  water- 

32 


front,  all  necessary  freight  facilities  cannot  be  furnished 
with  shorter  routes  through  the  public  streets  than  those 
which  are  now  suggested. 

Apparently  the  purpose  of  the  original  Belt  Line  has 
been  carefully  safeguarded.  Provision  of  a  right  of  way  for 
its  future  extension  paralleling  the  four-track  line  of  the 
railroads  is  a  wise  and,  perhaps,  necessary  precaution,  but 
the  more  important  thing  is  to  make  this  four-track  line 
subject  to  such  regulation  and  supervision  in  the  public 
interest  that  it  shall  serve  every  purpose  of  an  "open  gate- 
way" to  the  docks,  so  that  the  additional  tracks  shall  not 
be  necessary.  The  city,  by  reason  of  its  contribution  to 
the  cost  of  this  construction,  if  on  no  other  grounds,  is  fully 
entitled  to  claim  this  right  of  supervision,  and  specific  n  • 
nition  of  that  right  should  be  insisted  on  in  the  final  draft 
of  the  agreement. 

There  should  be  no  captious  criticism  of  these  plans. 
The  ideal  is  not  to  I ■•  city  must  bargain  with 

the  railroads,  and   inevitably  there  must  be  some  meeting 

ground  and  prop  r  com]  in  which  the  into  »f  all 

can  lie  reasonably  and  fairly  served.  The  city  is  to  pay  a 
•  proportion  of  the  cost  of  these  improvements,  some- 
thing more  than  one-half  of  the  total  cost,  but,  while  the 
city  undoubtedly  is  to  get  an  equivalent  for  its  expenditure 
in  public  improvements,  the  railroads  also  are  to  get 
improved  facilities  of  which  they  are  in  sore  need,  and  the 
city  is  to  help  them  pay  the  bill.  On  this  same  basis  alone 
the  representatives  of  the  city  are  fully  warranted  in  asking 
for  every  consideration  of  the  public  interest,  and  will  be 
guilty  of  no  imposition  on  the  railroads  if  they  insist  upon 
a  large  measure.  The  plan  is  one  of  large  opportunity;  it 
looks  forward  to  the  development  of  a  new  city  in  South 
Philadelphia,  and  for  that  reason,  particularly,  the  retention 
of  surface  lines  and  all  new  construction  should  be  consid- 
ered in  view  of  the  city  that  is  to  be  in  that  section,  rather 
than  merely  in  view  of  conditions  as  they  exist  to-day. 
Pending  the  submission  of  the  final  plans  to  Councils  for 
adoption,  the  various  situations  and  problems  involved 
ought  to  be  taken  up  for  detailed  and  careful  study  in  the 
public  interest. 

U 


TO  TRANSFORM  THE1NECK 

MODEL  CITY  TO  BE  LAID  OUT  UNDER  REVISED 

STREET  PLANS,  AUTHORIZED  UNDER  THE 

BELT  LINE  AGREEMENT 

The  Evening  Bulletin,  July  g,  1913. 

Of  equal  importance  to  the  city  with  the  improvement 
of  its  freight  terminal  facilities  to  be  brought  about  as  a 
result  of  the  South  Philadelphia  railroad  agreement  will  be 
the  changes  to  be  wrought  in  the  tract  of  undeveloped  ter- 
ritory lying  south  of  Oregon  Avenue,  between  the  Delaware 
and  Schuylkill  Rivers.  Where  acres  of  marsh  and  lowlands 
now  lie  it  is  possible  to  make  a  model  city  grow,  with  broad 
streets  and  avenues,  lined  with  grass  plots  and  shade  trees, 
and  affording  ample  room  for  comfortable  dwellings,  each 
of  which  will  have  more  yard  space  than  it  is  customary  to 
allow  in  other  closely  built  up  sections  of  the  city.  To 
accomplish  this  result  it  will  be  necessary  to  revise  the 
present  city  plan  for  the  district,  but  the  authority  to  do 
this  will  be  conferred  on  the  Board  of  Surveyors  under  the 
terms  of  the  agreement,  which  is  to  be  submitted  to  Councils 
in  the  fall. 

At  present  the  undeveloped  land  covers  about  five 
thousand  acres.  Few  streets  have  been  opened  through  it, 
and  those  that  exist  are  principally  country  roads.  The 
blocks  as  plotted  follow  the  old  severe  rectangular  lines 
which  were  originated  by  the  surveyor  of  William  Penn,  and 
to  which  there  are  many  and  obvious  objections.  There  is 
need  for  more  direct  diagonal  routes  of  travel,  to  give  ready 
access  to  the  docks  and  freight  stations  from  the  centre  of 
the  city.  Not  only  will  such  cross  avenues  aid  in  beautifying 
the  district  by  relieving  the  monotony  of  the  solid  rows,  but 
they  will  permit  of  more  scientific  arrangement  in  accord- 
ance with  the  newest  methods  of  city  planning.  But  the 
chief  object  after  which  the  city  engineers  are  seeking  is  to 
compel  the  allowance  of  larger  lots  of  ground  for  dwelling 
purposes. 

The  size  of  the  average  block,  as  now  laid  out,  is  about 
380  feet  square.  Builders  generally  desire  to  erect  six  rows 
of  houses  in  each  block,  opening  two  smaller  intermediate 
streets  to  do  it.    Deducting  the  width  of  the  two  streets, 

a 


forty  feet  each,  or  eighty  feet  in  all,  it  is  readily  seen  that 
the  average  depth  of  each  lot  is  about  fifty  feet,  which  is  not 
enough  to  give  sufficient  yard  space  in  the  rear.  To  over- 
come this  difficulty  it  is  proposed  to  shift  the  main  streets 
considerably,  reducing  their  number  and  thus  obtaining 
longer  blocks  and  consequently  deeper  1 

Twc-nty-iwo  streets  are  now  plotted  from  Delaware 
Avenue  to  Broad  Street.  Most  of  them  are  sixty  feet  wide. 
Instead  it  is  planned  to  open  only  fifteen  main  streets,  with 
greater  distances  between  them.  Every  alternate  street 
will  be  eighty-eight  feet  wide,  with  room  for  double  tracks 
of  car  lines,  while  the  other  main  streets  will  be  but  sixty- 
four  feet  wide  and  will  have  no  tracks.  Then,  in  place  of 
two  small  streets  cutting  through  every  short  block,  there 
may  be  three,  if  desired,  in  every  long  block,  the  average 
depth  of  lot  being  about  ve  feet  instead  of  only  fifty. 

The  law  requires  that  every  dwelling  shall  have  144  square 
feet  of  yard  space  in  the  rear,  but  with  only  fifty  feet 
depth  this  is  crowding  the  limit  rather  close.  With  fifteen 
feet  added  to  the  depth  of  each  lot,  the  yard  can  contain 
fuily  250  square  feet,  without  cramping  the  size  of  the 
house. 

The  detailed  plans  have  not  been  worked  out,  and  it 
will  take  a  large  amount  of  labor  in  the  drafting  rooms  to 
finish  the  studies,  but  there  are  no  difficult  engineering 

l  to  be  overcome,  and  the  fact  that  the  land  is 
largely  unencumbered  with  buildings  will  give  the  surveyors 
full  opportunity  to  make  the  district  the  most  modern  resi- 
dential quarter  of  the  whole  city. 

WHERE  RAIL  AND  WATER  MEET 

IMPORTANCE  OF  THE  TERMINAL  YARD  IN 

DOCK  DEVELOPMENT 

The  g  Bulletin,  July  io,   1913. 

The  plans  for  the  improvement  of  South  Philadelphia  in 
providing  for  a  large  classification  yard  to  be  shared  jointly 
by  the  Pennsylvania  and  Baltimore  &  Ohio  Railroads 
emphasize  the  importance  of  the  terminal  yard  in  port 
development.  A  series  of  large  municipal  wharves  would 
be  of  little  service  unless  co-ordinated  and  a  by  ade- 


quate  terminals  and  classification  yards,  where  cars  can  be 
sorted  and  classified  and  trains  made  up  with  economy  and 
dispatch. 

The  largest  classification  yard  at  present  on  the  river 
front  is  the  Port  Richmond  yard  of  the  Philadelphia  & 
Reading  Railway,  which  is  the  most  extensive  terminal  in 
the  world  conducted  under  the  ownership  of  any  one  rail- 
road. The  terminal  extends  from  the  river  to  Richmond 
Street,  and  has  a  bulkhead  frontage  of  5273  feet.  It  covers 
an  area  of  156  acres,  and  its  tracks  have  a  storage  capacity 
of  4000  cars,  without  congesting  or  in  any  way  interfering 
with  the  movement  of  traffic  on  the  main  or  working  tracks. 
At  this  yard  two  modern-type  electrically  operated  ore- 
unloading  machines  have  been  installed  recently,  which  have 
a  combined  capacity  of  five  tons  a  minute.  The  terminal 
has  a  grain  elevator  with  a  capacity  of  1,500,000  bushels 
and  a  coal  storage  yard  of  200,000  tons  capacity,  with  suit- 
able machinery  for  handling  the  same. 

The  Port  Richmond  terminal  has  six  piers  and  nineteen 
trestles.  The  piers  range  in  size  from  414  to  800  feet  in 
length  and  in  breadth  from  99  to  200  feet.  In  fact,  five  out 
of  the  six  piers  exceed  in  length  any  municipally  owned 
pier  in  the  port.  In  addition,  the  Reading  Railway  also 
operates  yards  at  Willow  Street  and  Fitzwater  Street,  and 
at  Noble  Street  has  five  piers,  three  of  which  are  over  five 
hundred  feet  in  length. 

The  largest  yards  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  on  the 
river  front  at  present  are  located  at  Washington  Avenue, 
Greenwich  Point  and  Girard  Point.  Their  combined  capacity 
is  7000  cars.  Thus  the  railroads  at  present  have  a  river- 
front car  storage  yard  capacity  of  11,000  cars,  in  addition 
to  which  must  be  added  the  capacity  of  the  East  Side  yard 
of  the  Baltimore  &  Ohio  Railroad.  The  new  terminal  at  the 
southeastern  corner  of  the  city  wTill  occupy  an  area  of  600 
acres,  and  will  afford  storage  capacity  for  more  cars  than 
can  be  accommodated  at  present  in  all  the  river-front  yards. 
Under  the  proposed  contract,  however,  the  Pennsylvania  is 
to  abandon  the  Greenwich  yard  and  the  Baltimore  &  Ohio 
to  give  up  the  Snyder  Avenue  yard.  In  turn,  the  Pennsyl- 
vania is  to  agree  to  extend  its  Washington  Avenue  yard,  and 

38 


when  the  entire  agreement  is  consummated  Philadelphia 
probably  will  have  a  car  storage  capacity  on  its  harbor  front 
for  20,000  cars. 

One  of  the  most  important  factors  in  the  shipment  of 
goods  is  the  time  consumed  by  terminal  delays.     With  its 

ent  facilities  and  under  the  present  laws  and  regula- 
tions the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  can  operate  from  the  Green- 
wich yard  only  one  through  freight  per  hour.  The  Philadel- 
phia &  Reading  operates  its  through  freights  by  the  way 
of  the  Port  Richmond  terminal,  with  the  exception  of  such 
small  quantity  as  passes  through  Willow  Street.  The 
amount  of  traffic  which  the  Reading  can  handle  from  the 
Tort  Richmond  yard  is  somewl  r  than  the  amount 

which  the  Pennsylvania  can  handle  from  the  Greenwich 
yard,  but  all  freight  coming  in  on  the  lower  river  front 
destined  for  the  Reading  must  be  carried  over  Delaware 
Avenue  to  Willow  Street.  Along  the  central  portion  of 
Delaware  Avenue  the  operation  of  trains  is  forbidden  dur- 
ing the  daylight  ho'  .  the  present  trackage  is  limited 
to  two  tracks  for  westbound  and  one  track  for  eastbound 
freight.  Railroad  i  affic  on  Delaware  Avenue  is  subject  to 
many  interruptions  due  to  the  vehicular  traffic  and  the  diffi- 
culty in  BOrting  an  1  breaking  cars,  and  that  it  tab  B  nearly 

e  hours  to  drive  an  engine  from  the  lower  end  to  Willow 

■t  and  return  indicates  the  possibility  of  future  traffic 
congestion. 

While  lacking  at  present  the  co-ordinated  facilities  of 
the  Port  Richmond  terminal,  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad 
owns  and  operates,  with  but  two  exceptions,  the  best 
wharves  on  the  river  front.  At  Walnut  Street  it  has  three 
piers  ranging  from  494  to  GOG  feet  in  length;  at  Washington 
Avenue  it  has  six  large  piers,  four  of  which  are  over  600 
and  at  Greenwich  it  has  seven  piers,  mostly 
for  coaling  pui 

To-day  the  railroads  own  and  occupy  fifty  per  cent,  of 
river  front  between  Allegheny  Avenue  and  Point  H 
Wharf.    Under  the  terms  of  the  pr-  >ntract  this  I 

will  be  increased,  but  thi  ire  is  not  to  the  city's  disad- 

vantage, as  it  receives  the  Greenwich  si  h  is  the  best 

adapted  for  the  construction  of  a  series  of  municipal  piers. 
Philadelphia  will  possess  the  two  largest  terminal  yards  in 


any  world  port,  but  they  will  be  widely  separated  and  dis- 
connected save  for  the  three  tracks  on  Delaware  Avenue. 
From  the  great  municipal  docks  in  the  southern  section 
either  car  ferriage  will  be  necessary  to  reach  the  Port  Rich- 
mond terminal  or  else  a  detour  of  many  miles  over  the  Bal- 
timore &  Ohio  tracks  to  Nicetown.  South  of  Queen  Street 
the  rail  facilities  will  be  excellent  for  shipments  through  the 
southern  classification  yard,  but  north  of  Queen  Street  there 
is  little  opportunity  for  additional  trackage  save  at  the 
expenditure  of  large  sums  of  money,  a  problem  that  must 
be  reserved  for  some  future  time. 

THE  BELT  LINE  AGREEMENT 

The  Evening  Telegraph,  July  8,  1913. 

Now  that  the  city  and  the  railroads  have  come  to  an 
agreement  with  regard  to  their  conflicting  interests  in 
South  Philadelphia,  we  may  expect  to  see  that  section  of  the 
city  begin  its  long-delayed  development.  The  elimination  of 
grade  crossings  removes  a  great  peril  to  traffic  of  all  kinds 
and  will  make  life  and  property  safer  than  under  existing 
conditions. 

The  future  of  the  Belt  Line  has  been  the  centre  of  most 
public  interest.  Upon  this  point  we  have  positive  but  not 
specific  assurances  that  the  agreement  provides  for  the 
preservation  of  its  present  rights  and  franchises  and  insures 
its  future  as  an  independent  corporation.  We  trust  this 
contention  will  be  borne  out  by  the  terms  of  the  agreement 
when  they  are  made  public.  This  point  is  important  and 
essential. 

The  other  features  of  the  agreement  refer  to  the 
acquirement  of  3000  feet  of  improved  wharfage  properties 
along  the  Delaware  now  owned  by  the  railroads,  and  the 
development  by  the  railroads  of  4000  feet  of  water  front, 
now  marsh  land.  In  return,  the  railroads  obtain  a  large  site 
for  storage  freight  yards  on  both  sides  of  Delaware  Avenue 
south  of  Washington  Avenue. 

The  development  looked  for  in  South  Philadelphia 
should  include  the  reclamation  of  long  stretches  of  vacant 
land  for  building  purposes,  the  vast  increase  of  these  tracts 
in  value  and  the  employment  of  large  numbers  of  workmen 


in  all  kinds  of  skilled  and  unskilled  forms  of  labor  conse- 
quent upon  the  development  of  this  territory. 

The  picture  painted  of  the  city's   future   under  this 
agreement  and  of  the  renai.  of  our  shipping  trade  is 

rosy  in  the  extreme.  We  trust  it  is  all  coming  true.  It  has 
been  late  in  arriving,  but  it  will  be  none  the  less  welcome 
when  it  comes. 

SUMMARY  OF  THINGS 

TO  BE  ACCOMPLISHED  BY  THE  ORDINANCE 

AND  AGREEMENT 

1.  Abolishment  of  grade  crossings  by  elevating  tracks: 

(a)  On  Washington  Avenue  from  Grays  Ferry 
Avenue  to  5th  Street. 

(b)  Grays    Ferry   Avenue   from   30th   Street   to 
Washington  Avenue. 

(c)  25th  Street  from  Arsenal  bridge  over  Schuyl- 
kill River  to  Point  Breeze  Avenue. 

(d)  Point  Breeze  Avenue  from  25th  to  29th  Street. 

2.  Build  elevated  track  <»n  li'Jth  Street  from  Point  Breeze 

Avenue  to  Magazine  Lane,  thence  on  private  right  of 
way  crossing  over  Penrose  Ferry  Avenue  to  near 
25th  Street,  thence  by  descending  grade  to  surface 
line  passing  through  southern  portion  of  League 
Island  Park  under  Broad  Street  to  Delaware  Avenue, 
near  Hoyt  Street,  thence  along  Delaware  Avenue  to 
Queen  Street. 

3.  Belt  Line  to  consist  of  that  portion  of  road  from  29th 

and  Passyunk  Road  around  the  entire  water  front  of 
the   city   to   Delaware   Avenue   and   Queen   Street, 

h  ifl  i  i  be  a  gateway  for  any  new  railroad  d 
ing  to  enter  the  city. 

4.  All  surface  tracks  to  be  removed  from  Washington 

Avenue  from  Grays  Ferry  Road  to  5th  Street  and 
the  street  paved  and  restored  to  highway  uses. 

5.  All  tracks  removed  from  Oregon  Avenue  from  23rd 

Street  to  Swanson  Street  and  from  23rd  Street  from 
Oregon  Avenue  to  Wolf  Street  and  Wolf  Street  from 


23rd  to  29th  Streets,  and  these  streets  graded  and 
paved. 

6.  All  surface  tracks  removed  from  25th   Street  from 

Washington  Avenue  to  a  point  above  Packer  Street. 

7.  All  tracks  removed  from  the  present  right  of  way  of 

Delaware  River  extension,  P.  R.  R.  south  of  Packer 
Street,  from  25th  Street  to  Delaware  Avenue. 

8.  The  present  surface  tracks  and  yards  leading  to  Girard 

Point  to  be  removed.     , 

9.  Washington  Avenue  freight  station    (between  Broad 

Street  and  17th  Street)  to  be  elevated  and  an  ele- 
vated storage  yard  to  be  constructed  along  Wash- 
ington Avenue  between  18th  and  19th  Streets. 

10.  Opening  and  grading  of  29th  Street  from  Passyunk 

Avenue  to  Magazine  Lane  and  the  opening  and  grad- 
ing of  Point  Breeze  Avenue  from  25th  to  29th 
Streets. 

11.  Building  of  a  four-track  viaduct  through  the  plants  of 

the  Point  Breeze  Gas  Works  and  the  Atlantic  Refin- 
ing Co. 

12.  Building  of  a  monumental  bridge  three  hundred  (300) 

feet  wide,  carrying  Broad  Street  over  the  joint  rail- 
road, 600  feet  north  of  entrance  to  League  Island 
Navy  Yard,  with  belvidere  and  other  ornamental 
features,  commanding  a  magnificent  outlook  over 
League  Island  Park  and  Navy  Yard. 

13.  The  construction  of  a  600-acre  freight  yard  to  be  used 

by  the  P.  R.  R.  and  B.  &  O.  R.  R.  in  the  extreme 
southeastern  corner  of  the  city. 

14.  The  development  by  the  railroads  of  4000  feet  of  water 

front  now  marsh  land. 

15.  The  relinquishment  of  and  purchase  by  the  city  of 

approximately  3400  feet  of  improved  water  front 
now  owned  by  the  railroads  and  capable  of  imme- 
diate improvement  as  municipal  wharves. 

40 


16.  Removal  of  all  freight  and  siding  tracks  from  the  bed 

of  Delaware  Avenue  and  the  arranging  for  the  con- 
tinuing of  only  the  running  I  meet 
demands  of  commerce. 

17.  The  construction   by   the  P.   R.   R.   of  large 

freight  yards   on   both   sides  of  Delaware   Avenue 
ith  of  Washington  Avenue. 

18.  Rearrangement  of  curb  line  on  Swanson  Street  opposite 

Old  Swedes  Church  so  as  to  better  preserve  this  old 

historical  landmark. 

19.  Pilling  in  of  the  land  required  for  railroad  yards  near 

lie  Island  Navy  Yard  by  widening  and  deepen- 
ing the  Delaware  Channel  to  the  Philadelphia  pier- 
head line. 

20.  Remove  the  present  rary  bridge  and  hump  along 

the   line   of    Broad    Street   and  the    Delaware 

Extension,  P.  R.  R. 

21.  Provision   is   made   for  opening  and  for  bridging  all 

streets  require*  1  development  of  the  southern 

D  of  the  city. 

22.  (  m  ening  up  for  development  4.000  acres,  approximately 

are  miles,  lying  south  of  Oregon  Avenue  and 
between  the  Schuylkill  and  Del;.  terri- 

which  up  to  now  has  been  practically  unavail- 
for  development  owing  to  the  surface  tracl 
the  two  steam  railroads. 

23.  T;         "'ning  up  of  this  y  for  building  purposes 

will  necessarily  divert  it  from  its  present  uses — 
piggeries  and  poudrett.  ad  undrained  marsh 

land. 


;; 


AN    ORDINANCE 

Authorizing  the  execution  of  a  contract  between  the  City  of  Phila- 
delphia, the  Philadelphia,  Baltimore  and  Washington  Railroad  Com- 
pany, the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company,  the  Schuylkill  River  East 
Side  Railroad  Company,  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad  Company 
and  the  Philadelphia  Belt  Line  Railroad  Company,  whereby  the  said 
Railroad  Companies  may  change,  relocate  or  elevate  certain  portions 
of  the  lines  of  railroad  owned,  leased  or  controlled  and  operated  by 
them,  and  establish  certain  new  lines,  terminals  and  yards,  with  the 
necessary  connections  therewith,  within  that  portion  of  the  City  of 
Philadelphia  lying  south  of  Christian  Street  between  the  Delaware 
and  Schuylkill  Rivers,  and  providing  for  the  placing  upon  the  city 
plan,  the  striking  from  the  city  plan  and  vacation,  the  widening  and 
the  revision  of  the  lines  and  grades  of  streets;  the  opening  and 
physical  changes  of  streets;  the  alteration,  construction  and  recon- 
struction of  buildings,  bridges,  yards,  tracks,  terminals  and  operating 
appliances  of  the  said  railroads;  the  acquisition  of  property  for  rail- 
road and  highway  purposes  and  for  piers  and  other  river  front 
improvements;  apportioning  the  expense  of  acquiring  property,  of 
opening,  widening  and  revising  streets,  of  constructing  and  recon- 
structing street  fixtures,  and  of  changing,  relocating,  constructing, 
reconstructing  or  elevating  railroad  tracks,  terminals,  yards  and  con- 
nections, and  all  other  expense  contingent  to  the  work  herein  provided 
for,  and  defining  the  methods  of  making  payment  of  the  respective 
proportions  of  such  expense;  providing  for  the  carrying  out  and  com- 
pletion of  all  the  aforesaid  work  and  all  work  of  every  character 
necessary  for  and  incidental  to  the  abolishment  of  certain  existing 
grade  crossings  and  the  effectual  establishment  of  a  plan  whereby 
the  readjustment  of  railroad  lines  with  reference  to  street  crossings 
within  the  territory  affected  may  be  provided  for.  Also  authorizing 
a  general  revision  of  the  lines  and  grades  of  streets;  the  amendment 
of  the  Ordinance  approved  December  26,  1890,  authorizing  the  con- 
struction of  the  Philadelphia  Belt  Line  Railroad;  and  the  making  of 
an  appropriation  for  the  City's  proportion  of  the  cost  of  the  work 
provided  for  in  the  said  contract. 

Section  1.  The  Select  and  Common  Councils  of  the  City  of 
Philadelphia  do  ordain,  That  pursuant  to  the  power  and  authority 
vested  in  the  City  of  Philadelphia  under  and  by  virtue  of  the  Act  of 
the  General  Assembly  of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania,  entitled  "An  Act 
to  authorize  the  counties,  cities,  towns  and  townships  of  this  State, 
respectively,  to  enter  into  contracts  with  railroad  companies  whose 
roads  enter  into  their  limits,  whereby  said  companies  may  relocate, 
change  or  elevate  their  railroads,"  approved  the  ninth  day  of  June, 
1874;  of  the  rights  and  powers  of  the  Railroad  Companies,  and  of  all 
other  power  enabling  the  parties  to  act  in  the  premises,  the  said  the 
City  of  Philadelphia  is  hereby  authorized  to  enter  into  a  contract 
with  the  Philadelphia,  Baltimore  and  Washington  Railroad  Company, 

42 


the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company,  the  Schuylkill  River  East  Side 
Railroad  Company,  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad  Company  and 
the  Philadelphia  Belt  Line  Railroad  Company,  which  shall  be  in  the 
form  following  for  the  purpose  of  accomplishing  the  objects  set  out  in 
the  recitals  and  covenants  therein  contained: 

THIS    AGREEMENT,   made   this  day 

of  1913,  by  and  between  the  CITY  OF  PHILA- 

DELPHIA, hereinafter  called  the  "City",  party  of  the  first 
part,  the  PHILADELPHIA,  BALTIMORE  AND  WASH- 
INGTON RAILROAD  COMPANY  and  THE  PENNSYL- 
VANIA RAILROAD  COMPANY,  hereinafter  called  for  con- 
venience the  "Pennsylvania  Companies",  parties  of  the  second 
part,  aid  the  SCHUYLKILL  RIVER  EAST  SIDE  RAIL- 
ROAD COMPANY  and  the  BALTIMORE  AND  OHIO 
RAILROAD  COMPANY,  for  itself  and  as  the  owner  and 
operator  of  the  said  Schuylkill  River  East  Side  Railroad 
Company,  hereinafter  called  for  convenience  the  "Baltimore 
Companies",  parties  of  the  third  part,  (said  "Pennsylvania 
and  "Baltimore  Companies",  when  referred  to 
jointly,  being  also  hereinafter  sometimes  called  the  "Rail- 
road Companies")  and  THE  PHILADELPHIA  BELT  LINE 
RAILROAD  \"Y,  hereinafter  called,  for  convenience, 

"Belt  Line  Company",  party  of  the  fourth  part. 

.   under  and  by  an   Ordinance  of  the   Select 
I  Common  Councils  of  the  said  City,  approved  the 
da>  ,  1013,  the  proper  officers  of  the  City 

of  Philadelphia  were  authorized  to  enter  into  a  contract  with 
the  Pennsylvania  Companies  and  the  Baltimore  Companies 
and  the  Belt  Line  Company  whereby  the  said  Companies 
parties  to  this  agreement  may  respectively  change,  widen, 
stn  •  r  otherwise  improve,  relocate,  extend,  construct, 

reconstruct  and  elevate  certain  portions  of  the  lines  of  rail- 
road owneii.  rolled,  or  operated  by  them,  and 
ii  new  lines,  terminals  and  yards  with  the  necessary 
connections  therewith,  within  that  portion  of  the  City  of 
Philadelphia  lying  south  of  Christian  Street  and  between  the 
Delaware  and  Schuylkill  River.s,  so  as  to  abolish  numerous 
grade  cro.-;.  ings  and  enable  the  City  to  revise  the  lines  and 
grades  of  streets,  carry  out  its  plans  for  the  improvement  of 
that  section  of  the  City,  and  make  suitable  provision  for  the 
location  and  subsequent  construction,  extension  and  improve- 
ment of  its  docks,  wharves,  etc. 

AND  WHEREAS,  the  said  City  and  said  Pennsylvania 

Companies,  Baltimore  Companies  and  the  Eelt  Line  Company 

have  duly  negotiated  concerning,  and  definitely  agreed  upon, 

the  terms  and  conditions  for  said  contract  and  are  now  about 

execute  the  ?ame  accordingly. 

Therefore,    thi$    Ac  '     R    '    ■        tk    that,    for 

.  ion  of  the  pi  i  legal   and  ad- 

43 


vantages  to  each  of  them  thereunto  moving  and  the  mutual 
covenants  hereinafter  contained  and  set  forth,  the  said 
parties  hereto  have  mutually  covenanted  and  agreed,  and  by 
these  presents  do  hereby  severally  covenant  and  agree,  to 
and  with  each  other,  as  follows: 

First. — The  City  hereby  covenants  and  agrees  that  the 
said  Pennsylvania  Companies,  the  Baltimore  Companies  and 
the  Belt  Line  Company  may  change,  widen,  straighten,  or 
otherwise  improve  and  relocate,  extend,  construct,  reconstruct 
and  elevate  the  certain  portions  of  the  lines  of  railroad  owned, 
held,  or  controlled  and  operated  by  them,  hereinafter  spe- 
cifically mentioned;  may  provide  for  railroad  yards  and  ter- 
minals; may  provide  for  the  alteration  and  construction  or 
reconstruction  of  buildings,  bridges,  tracks  and  operating 
appliances  on  the  said  lines  of  railroad;  and  may  carry  out 
and  complete  the  work  of  every  character  necessary  and 
incidental  to  the  fulfillment  of  the  purposes  of  said  Ordi- 
nance, in  so  far  as  they  are,  or  may  be,  affected  thereby,  as 
fully  and  effectually  in  all  things  as  mentioned  and  provided 
fcr  therein,  and  the  City  hereby  further  agrees  to  take  all 
action  that  is  or  may  be  necessary  upon  its  part  to  enable 
the  said  Companies  to  comply  with  the  provisions  of  said 
Ordinance  and  to  carry  into  effect  the  work  covered  by  this 
agreement.  The  following  are  the  lines  of  railroad  affected 
by  this  agreement: — 

(1)  The  Washington  Avenue  Branch  of  the  Philadel- 
phia, Baltimore  and  Washington  Railroad  from  Thirtieth 
Street  and  Gray's  Ferry  Avenue  to  the  Delaware  River; 
(2)  the  Delaware  Extension  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad 
from  the  Arsenal  Bridge  over  the  Schuylkill  River  to  Dela- 
ware Avenue  and  Queen  Street;  (3)  the  Girard  Point  Branch 
of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  from  Hamburg  Junction  to 
Girard  Point;  (4)  the  Schuylkill  River  Branch  Extension  of 
the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  from  its  connection  with  the  Girard 
Point  Branch  to  its  terminus  east  of  Broad  street;  and  (5)  the 
Schuylkill  River  East  Side  Railroad  from  near  Vare  Avenue, 
in  its  East  Side  Yard  along  the  Schuylkill  River,  to  Shunk 
and  Vandalia  Streets;  and  (6)  the  Philadelphia  Belt  Line 
Company  from  Queen  Street  to  Point  Breeze. 

Second. — The  said  City  covenants,  promises  and  agrees 
to  make  such  general  revision  of  the  lines  and  grades  of 
streets  as  may  be  necessary  to  complete  the  City  plan  and 
provide  for  the  improvements  within  the  territory  south  of 
Christian  Street  and  between  the  Delaware  and  Schuylkill 
Rivers,  and,  in  connection  therewith,  to  vacate  such  streets; 
to  place  such  streets  on  the  City  plan  and  to  make  such 
revision  of  the  lines  and  grades  of  streets  crossing  and 
adjacent  to  the  lines  of  railroad  herein  specifically  men- 
tioned, and  the  yards,  facilities  and  appurtenances   thereon 

44 


and  thereof,  as  may  be  necessary-  to  properly  provide  for  the 
execution  of  the  work  to  be  co-operatively  undertaken  and 
completed  by  the  City  and  the  respective  Railroad  Com- 
panies in  accordance  with  this  agreement. 

Third. — The  City  covenants,  promises  and  agrees  to  issue 
the  usual  notices  to  all  owners  whose  property  may  be 
affected  by  the  work  to  be  done  under  this  agreement  and 
to  notify  the  owners  of  property  over  and  through  which 
the  following  lr.id  out  and  revised  under  authority 

of  the  Ordinance  authorizing  this  agreement,  will  pass,  that 
at  the  expiration  of  three  months  from  the  date  of  said 
notices  said  streets  will  be  required  for  public  use:  Twenty- 
fifth  Street,  from  Washington  Avenue  to  Point  Breeze  Ave- 
nue; Point  Breeze  Avenue,  from  Twenty-fifth  Street  to  Wolf 
t ;  Twenty-ninth  Street,  from  Passyunk  Avenue  to  Mag- 
azine Lane;  and  Delav.  ,ue  from  the  north  side  of 
Bigler  Street  to  the  north  property  line  of  the  proposed 
terminal  yards  of  the  Pennsylvania  Companies.  Upon  the 
execution  of  this  agreement  and  the  confirmation  of  any  or 
all  of  the  •  plan  provided  for  in  Article 
Second  hereof,  the  Mayor  shall  enter  security,  on  behalf  of 
the  City,  for  the  payment  of  any  and  all  damages  which 
may  be  caused  in  carrying  Into  >ny  and  all  of  the 
work  herein  authorized.  Upon  the  filing  of  the  said  security 
and  at  the  expiration  of  the  time  limit  of  the  notice  pro- 
vided for  in  this  Article,  the  Director  of  the  Department  of 
Public  Works  of  the  City  (hcreii.  -  convenience  called 
"Director")  shall  enter  upon  and  take  for  public  use  such 
properties  as  may  be  required  to  enable  said  Ordinance  to 
be  carried  into  full  and  complete  effect  and  the  work  of  con- 
struction shall  be  commenced  as  soon  thereafter  as  possible 
and  a  y  points  as  practicable  upon  each  line  of  rail- 
road and  upon  the  streets  in  so  far  as  they  shall  or  may 
affect  the  same,  and  shall  be  carried  to  completion  by  the 
City  and  the  Railroad  Companies,  respectively,  with  the  least 
possible  delay  or  interruption,  which  date  shall  not  be  later 
than  three  years  from  the  date  of  this  agreement.  In  the 
event  of  delay  due  to  failure  to  obtain  right  of  way  for  rail- 
roads required  to  be  constructed,  or  to  strikes,  injunctions 
or  other  causes  beyond  the  control  of  the  Railroad  Com- 
panies or  the  City,  suitable  extension  beyond  three  years 
shall  be  agreed  upon  by  the  City  and  the  Railroad  Com- 
panies. 

Fourth. — The  City  covenants,  promises  and  agrees  to  pre- 
pare plans  and  specifications  for  and  to  carry  out,  so  far  as 
they  may  be  affected  or  are  made  necessary  by  the  work 
provided  for  in  this  agreement,  the  grading,  paving  or  re- 
paving,  and  setting  or  resetting  of  curbs  to  the  lines  and 
grades  established  under  authority  of  said  Ordinance  upon 
all  streets  legally  or  physically  opened  prior  to  the  approval 

45 


of  said  Ordinance;  the  grading  and  drainage  of  the  streets 
authorized  to  be  opened  by  Article  Third  hereof;  the  con- 
struction, reconstruction  and  alteration  or  removal  of  all 
sewers,  water  and  gas  mains,  electrical  conduits  and  munic- 
ipal structures  and  street  improvements  and  their  appur- 
tenances and  the  underpinning  or  removal  of  buildings  ad- 
jacent to  the  work.  Provided,  however,  that  the  curbing 
and  paving  of  Delaware  Avenue  shall  apply  only  to  that 
portion  of  said  avenue  between  Queen  Street  and  Reed 
Street  and  the  paving  of  intersections  of  all  legally  and 
physically  opened  streets  crossing  said  Delaware  Avenue 
between   Reed  and  Bigler  Streets,  inclusive. 

Upon  the  approval  of  the  said  plans  and  specifications 
by  the  Chief  Engineer  or  Chief  Engineers  (hereinafter  for 
convenience  called  "Engineer"  or  "Engineers")  of  the  Rail- 
road Companies  interested  in  and  affected  by  the  same,  the 
said  Director  shall  advertise  for  proposals  and  enter  into 
contracts,  to  be  approved  by  the  Engineer,  or  Engineers,  of 
the  said  Railroad  Companies  affected,  for  the  work  covered 
by  the  said  plans  and  specifications  and  said  work  shall 
be  carried  out  by  and  under  the  supervision  of  the  City. 
The  said  plans,  specifications  and  contracts  shall  be  identi- 
fied by  the  signatures  of  the  said  Director,  the  Chief  En- 
gineer of  the  Bureau  of  Surveys  of  the  City  and  the  En- 
gineer, or  Engineers,  of  the  said  Railroad  Companies  and 
shall  be  filed  and  preserved  in  the  Department  of  Public 
Works  and  copies  shall  be  furnished  to  the  said  Railroad 
Companies. 

Fifth. — The  Pennsylvania  Companies  and  the  Baltimore 
Companies  covenant,  promise  and  agree  to  prepare  plans  and 
specifications  for  the  work  of  changing,  widening,  straight- 
ening, improving,  relocating,  extending,  constructing  or 
reconstructing  and  elevating  their  respective  railroads,  tracks, 
yards,  terminals  and  work  appurtenant  thereto,  and  to  enter 
into  the  necessary  contracts  for  and  to  carry  out  all  of  said 
work. 

The  said  plans  and  specifications  shall  be  separated  and 
divided  into  such  parts  or  sections  as  shall,  in  the  opinion 
of  the  Engineer,  or  Engineers,  of  the  Railroad  Companies 
affected  and  the  Director,  tend  to  facilitate  and  promote  the 
most  speedy  and  economical  execution  of  the  work.  The 
following  general  provisions  shall  govern  the  preparation  of 
the  plans  and  specifications  and  the  conduct  of  the  work: — 

The  tracks  and  yards  of  the  Washington  Avenue  Branch 
of  the  Philadelphia,  Baltimore  and  Washington  Railroad 
along  Gray's  Ferry  Avenue  from  Thirty-first  Street  to 
Twenty-fifth  Street  shall  continue  to  occupy  their  present 
location,  or  such  new  location  as  shall  be  shown  upon  the 

46 


plans  and  approved  as  herein  provided  for,  and  such  branch 
shall  be  reconstructed  as  a  two  track  elevated  railroad  upon 
an  earthen  embankment  and  a  metal,  or  metal  and  concrete, 
or  ma.sonry  structure  on  a  new  grade  beginning  near  Thir- 
tieth Street  and  Gray's  Ferry  Avenue,  and  extending  thence 
to  a  connection  with,  or  crossing  at  grade  of,  the  Delaware 
Extension  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  at  or  near  Twenty- 
fifth  Street  and  Washington  Avenue,  at  such  an  elevation  as 
will  carry  said  line  adjacent  to  Gray's  Ferry  Avenue  over  all 
intersecting  streets  now  legally  opened  with  a  clear  head- 
room of  at  least  fourteen  feet.  From  Twenty-fifth  Street  to 
Sixth  Street  the  said  Washington  Avenue  Branch  shall  be 
reconstructed  as  an  elevated  railroad,  with  three  tracks  to 
Seventeenth  Street  and  two  tracks  to  Sixth  Street,  upon  a 
metal,  or  metal  and  concrete,  or  masonry  structure  on  a  new 
.inning  at  a  point  of  connection  with  the  herein- 
after described  elevated  line  of  the  said  Delaware  Extension 
of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  near  Gray's  Ferry  Avenue  and 
passing  along  and  above  Washington  Avenue,  and  over  all 
intersecting  streets   now   legally   or   physically   opened,   with 

ar  headroom  of  at  least  fourteen  feet  above  the  sur- 
face of  same  to  the  east  building  line  of  Sixth  Street,  and 
thenco  a£  a  two  track  railroad  on  a  descending  grade  be- 
•  or  masonry  retaining  walls  to  the  west 
building  line  of  Fifth  Street,  at  or  near  which  point  said 
tracks  shall  connect  at  grade  with  the  present  or  revised 
tracks  of  the  said  Washington  Avenue  Branch  on  Washing- 
ton Avenue.  To  replace  the  present  tracks  on  Washington 
Avenue  between  Twenty-fifth  Street  and  Broad  Street, 
which  are  used  (<>r  |  urposes,  a  storage  yard  shall  be 

provided  on  property  to  be  acquired  between  Washington 
Avenue  and  Ellsworth  Street  and  between  Eighteenth  Street 
and  Nineteenth  Street.  The  present  storage  and  delivery 
tracks  ami  freight  stations  located  between  Washington  Ave- 
nue and  Carpenter  Street  and  between  Seventeenth  Street 
and  Broad  Street  shall  be  reconstructed  in  such  a  mam 
to  provide,  upon  the  same  grade  as  the  new  elevated  struc- 
ture on  Washington  Avenue,  facilities  equal  in  capacity  to 
those  now  existing,  with  provision  for  an  inclined  drive 
on  property  to  be  acquired  for  that  purpose,  from  the  street 

to   the  reconstructed   carload  delivery  yard.      Lik 
storage  and  delivery  yards  and  facilities  shall  be  provided  in 
place  of  those  to  be  abandoned  between   Broad   Street  and 
Fifth  Street. 

The  tracks  of  the  Delaware  Extension  of  the  Pennsyl- 
vania Railroad  shall  continue  to  occupy  approximately 
their  present  location  from  the  Arsenal  Bridge  over  the 
Schuylkill  River  to  near  Twenty-fifth  and  McKean 
Streets,  from  which  point  they  shall  curve  to  the  ■ 
ward    and    occupy    Point    Breeze    Avenue,    as    revised    and 

47 


widened,  to  near  Twenty-ninth  and  Wolf  Streets,  where 
they  shall  curve  to  the  southward  to  a  right  of  way  west 
of  the  west  building  line  of  Twenty-ninth  Street,  continu- 
ing on  said  right  of  way  to  Passyunk  Avenue,  where  said 
tracks  Bhall  curve  to  the  eastward  into  Twenty-ninth 
Street  and  occupy  a  portion  thereof  to  Magazine  Lane  at 
which  point  they  shall  curve  slightly  to  the  westward  on 
right  of  way  west  of  the  west  building  line  of  Twenty- 
ninth  Street  to  Penrose  Avenue,  thence  curving  to  the 
eastward  on  property  of  the  Girard  Point  Storage  Com- 
pany and  on  a  right  of  way  north  of  Government  Avenue 
and  through  League  Island  Park,  and  under  Broad  Street  at 
a  point  not  less  than  six  hundred  feet  north  of  the  property 
line  of  the  Philadelphia  Navy  Yard,  thence  to  a  connection 
east  of  Broad  Street  with  the  proposed  terminal  yard  of  the 
Pennsylvania  Companies,  provided  for  in  Article  Tenth 
hereof.  From  said  connection  east  of  Broad  Street  the 
said  Delaware  Extension  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad 
shall  continue  in  a  diagonal  line  directly  north  of  the  said 
proposed  terminal  yards  to  Delaware  Avenue  and  Hoyt 
Street,  thence  northwardly  along  Delaware  Avenue  to 
Bigler  Street,  at  which  point  they  shall  connect  with  the 
present  tracks  of  the  Pennsylvania  Companies  as  relo- 
cated to  Queen  Street.  A  single  track  switching  line  may 
be  constructed  at  grade  by  the  Pennsylvania  Companies,  at 
their  expense,  along  Vandalia  Street  from  the  above  de- 
scribed relocated  line  of  the  Delav/are  Extension  to  Packer 
Street  and  thence  diagonally  to  a  connection  at  Pollock 
Street  with  the  present  tracks  of  the  Swanson  Street  Branch 
of  the  Pennsylvania  Companies. 

The  said  Delaware  Extension  of  the  Pennsylvania  Rail- 
road shall  be  reconstructed  as  a  two-track  elevated  rail- 
road (with  no  opposing  grade  exceeding  0.3%  south  or  east 
bound  and  0.6%  north  or  west  bound,  with  proper  compensa- 
tion for  curvature),  on  an  earthen  embankment  between  re- 
taining walls  from  the  Arsenal  Bridge  over  the  Schuylkill 
River  to  the  north  side  of  Washington  Avenue,  with  a 
metal,  or  metal  and  concrete,  or  masonry  bridge  over  Gray's 
Ferry  Avenue  having  a  clearance  of  not  less  than  fourteen 
feet  above  the  revised  grade  thereof,  and  upon  a  metal,  or 
metal  and  concrete,  or  masonry  viaduct  from  the  north  side 
of  Washington  Avenue  to  the  south  side  of  Wolf  Street, 
west  of  Twenty-ninth  Street,  thence  on  an  earthen  embank- 
ment to  the  north  side  of  Passyunk  Avenue,  alongside  of  a 
similar  two  track  structure  (hereinafter  described)  to  be 
built  by  the  Baltimore  Companies  as  a  portion  of  the  re- 
located Schuylkill  River  East  Side  Railroad,  thence  as  a 
two-track  metal,  or  metal  and  conci'ete,  or  masonry  viaduct 
within  the  building  lines  of  Twenty-ninth  Street  to  the 
south  side  of  Magazine  Lane,  at  such  an  elevation  through- 

48 


out  as  to  give  not  less  than  fourteen  feet  clearance  above 
the  grades  of  all  intersecting  or  longitudinal  streets  now 
opened  or  agreed  to  be  opened;  thence  curving  on  right  of 
way  west  of  the  west  building  line  of  Twenty-ninth  Street 
on  an  earthen  embankment  and  with  metal,  or  metal  and 
concrete,  or  masonry  bridges  over  the  intersecting  streets 
hereinafter  enumerated,  with  a  clearance  of  not  less  than 
fourteen  feet  above  the  grades  thereof,  to  the  south  side 
of  Penrose  Avenue;  thence  on  a  descending  grade  to  and 
under  Broad  Street  at  the  point  hereinbefore  described; 
thence  as  a  two  track  railroad  east  of  Broad  Street  and  north 
of  the  said  proposed  terminal  yards  of  the  Pennsylvania 
Companies,  substantially  on  the  same  grade  as  the  streets 
to  be  opened  directly  north  of  j:aid  yards  (but  which  streets 
between  Broad  Street  and  Delaware  Avenue  shall  not  now 
or  hereafter  be  extended  to  ;.;d  tracks  at  grade)   to 

the   connection   with    ti.  of   the   Pennsylvania   Com- 

panies on  Delaware  Avenu  Street,  and  thence 

along  Delaware  Avenue  to  Queen  Street. 

The  tracks  of  tho  Schuylkill  River  East  Side  Railroad 
ahrll  continue  approximately  on  their  present  route  to  near 
Thirtieth    and  m    which    point    they    shall 

curve  to  the  southward  into  a  right  of  way  west  of  and 
ing  the  relocated  tracks  of  the  Delaware  Extension 
of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad;  thence  continuing  parallel 
with  and  directly  alongside  of  the  said  tracks  of  the  Dela- 
ware i  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  to  a  connec- 
tion with  terminal  yards  to  be  constructed  by  the  Balti- 
more Companies  between  Broad  Street  and  the  Delaware 
River  and  south  of  the  terminal  yards  of  the  Pennsyl- 
vania Companies.  From  eaid  point  of  connection  east  of 
Broad  Street  the  Schuylkill  River  East  Side  Railroad  shall 
continue  alro  parallel  and  adjacent  to  the  tracks  of  the 
Delaware  Extension  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  north  of 
the  hereinbefore  mentioned  terminal  yards  of  the  Penn- 
ine Compnnies  to  Delaware  Avenue,  thence  along  the 
latter  avenue  to  Vandalia  Street,  there  connecting  with  the 
trades  of  the  Baltimore  Companies.  The  track  of  the  Balti- 
more Companies  in  the  bed  of  Vandalia  Street  may,  at  the 
expense  of  the  Baltimore  Companies,  be  extended  as  a  single 
track  switching  line  southwardly  in  the  bed  of  said  street 
from  Oregon  Avenue  to  a  connection  with  the  relocated 
Schuylkill   River  East  Side  Railroad. 

The  Schuylkill  River  East  Side  Railroad  shall  be  con- 
structed as  a  two-track  elevated  railroad  (with  no  oppos- 
ing grade  exceedi.  in  cither  direction,  with  proper 
compensation  for  curvature)  on  an  earthen  embankment 
from  a  point  near  Vare  Avenue,  in  its  East  Side  Yard 
along  the  Schuylkill  River,  to  a  point  near  Twenty-ninth 
and   Ritner  Streets  where  snme  shall  adjoin  the  tracks    of 

49 


the  relocated  Delaware  Extension  of  the  Pennsylvania  Rail- 
road, with  metal,  or  metal  and  concrete,  or  masonry  bridges 
over  the  streets  now  opened  or  agreed  to  be  opened,  having 
a  clearance  of  not  less  than  fourteen  feet  above  the  grades 
thereof;  thence  on  an  earthen  embankment  to  the  north  side 
of  Passyunk  Avenue,  and  thence  following  the  line  and 
grade  and  same  construction  of  said  Delaware  Extension  of 
the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  (hgreinbefore  described)  to  and 
under  Broad  Street  to  the  proposed  terminal  yards  of  the 
Baltimore  Companies  and  a  connection  with  the  tracks  of  the 
latter  Companies  at  Delaware  Avenue  and  Vandalia  Street. 

To  repla.ee  the  existing  connections  and  sidings  of  the 
respective  Companies  with  or  into  the  various  industries 
north  of  Jackson  Street  which  they  now  serve,  proper  and 
satisfactory  connections  shall  be  made  from  the  relocated, 
reconstructed  and  elevated  lines  of  railroad  in  cases  where 
satisfactory  plans  can  be  worked  out,  the  cost  of  elevating 
that  portion  of  such  existing  connections  and  sidings  extend- 
ing to  the  line  of  private  property  to  be  included  as  part  of 
the  work  the  cost  of  which,  under  this  agreement,  is  to  be 
shared  jointly  by  the  Railroad  Companies  and  the  City,  and 
the  cost  of  the  elevation  of  such  connections  and  sidings 
beyond  said  line  to  be  borne  wholly  by  the  owners  thereof. 
Proper  and  satisfactory  connections  for  joint  use  shall  also 
be  made  from  the  relocated,  reconstructed  and  elevated  lines 
of  railroads  of  the  respective  Companies  to  the  existing  or 
readjusted  tracks  in  the  works  of  the  Atlantic  Refining  Com- 
pany, the  United  Gas  Improvement  Company,  the  Philadel- 
phia Navy  Yard,  and,  for  the  use  of  the  Pennsylvania  Com- 
panies, to  those  of  the  Girard  Point  Storage  Company,  which 
readjustment  of  tracks  shall  also  be  carried  out  as  a  part  of 
the  work  covered  by  this  agreement. 

Connections  and  sidings  into  present  and  future  in- 
dustries, business  establishments,  warehouses  and  piers  may 
be  made  from  the  relocated,  reconstructed  and  elevated  lines 
of  railroad  herein  provided  for  when  the  same  are  requested 
by  the  owners  of  said  industries,  business  establishments, 
warehouses  and  piers  located  along  the  lines  of  said  rail- 
roads, but  no  part  of  such  expense  thereof  shall  be  borne  by 
the  City. 

All  tracks,  yards  and  rights  of  way,  and  all  existing 
rail  connections  not  otherwise  herein  provided  for  or  a 
necessary  part  of  the  work  herein  authorized,  along  the 
following  lines  shall  be  abandoned  for  railroad  purposes, 
viz.,  the  present  line  of  the  Delaware  Extension  of  the  Penn- 
sylvania Railroad  from  Twenty-fifth  Street,  near  McKean 
Street,  to  Delaware  Avenue  and  Bigler  Street;  the  Girard 
Point  Branch  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  from  Hamburg 
Junction,  near  Twenty-fifth  and  Bigler  Streets,  to  the  south 

50 


aide  of  Penrose  Avenue;  the  Schuylkill  River  Branch 
Extension  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  from  its  connection 
with  the  Girard  Point  Branch  to  its  terminus  east  of  Broad 
Street,  and  the  present  line  of  the  Schuylkill  River  East  Side 
Railroad  from  near  Thirtieth  and  Wolf  Streets  to  the  inter- 
section of  Shunk  and  Vandalia  Streets. 

Unless  otherwise  provided  for  herein  each  of  these 
lines  shall  be  abandoned  and  the  tracks  and  operating 
appurtenances  and  app1  -noved  immediately  upon  the 

completion  and  operation  of  any  new  line  of  railroad  herein 
provided  for  which  it  is  intended  shall  be  used  as  a  sub- 
stitute. 

The  construction  work  shall  include  the  following 
items: — the  necessary  alteration,  construction,  and  recon- 
struction of  railroad  yards,  yard  tracks  and  yard  buildings, 

bt  stations,  signal  towers,  coaling  stations,  and  other 
railroad  structures  and  their  appurtenances,  and  all  neces- 
sary tracks  and  operating  -if  said  railroads, 
including  telegraph,  telephone  and  electric  lipht  lines,  block 
ifTnal  bridges  and  interlocking  plants  between  the 
terminal  points  named  in  this  Article,  with  as  good 
accommodations  as  nov.  r.i  with  complete  and  con- 
venient facilities  newly  constructed,  for  conducting  business 
and  operating  the  said  rai'  i  with  provisions  for 
the  eo  itimumee  f  track  connection-,  wherever  feasible,  with 
commercial  and  industrial  establishments  now  having  such 
connections  along  all  lines  authorized  to  be  reconstructed; 
the  construction  of  the  necessary  elevated  structures, 
bridges,  embankments,  abutments,  and  retaining  and  other 
masonry  walls;  the  construction,  reconstruction  and  removal 
of  temporary  railroad  tracks  and  the  maintenance  of  rail- 
road   and    highway    travel    during    construction. 

All  of  the  plans,  specifications  and  contracts  provided  for 
in  this  section  shall  be  submitted  to  and  approved  by  the 
said  Director  and  the  Chief  Engineer  of  the  Bureau  of 
Surveys,  and  shall  be  identified  by  the  signatures  of  the 
said  Director  nr.d  the  Chief  Engineer  of  the  Bureau  of  Sur- 
veys, and  the  Engineer  or  Engineers  of  the  Railroad  Com- 
tT  '   >hall   be   filed   and   pre- 

served in  the  Department  of  Public  Works. 

Sixth. — It  is  understood  and  agreed  between  the  City 
and  the  Railroad  Companies  that  in  the  relocation,  con- 
struction, reconstruction  and  elevation  of  the  lines  of  rail- 
road referred  to  in  Article  Fifth  hereof,  the  following  streets 
shall  be  opened  and  graded  to  their  full  width  as  now  upon 
the  City  plan,  or  as  placed  upon  the  City  plan,  or  as 
revised  under  authority  of  the  ordinance  authorizing  this 
work,  and  the  cost  thereof  shall  be  included  in  the  cost  of  the 

51 


work: — Twenty-fifth  Street,  from  Washington  Avenue  to 
Point  Breeze  Avenue;  Point  Breeze  Avenue,  from  Twenty- 
fifth  street  to  Wolf  Street;  Twenty-ninth  Street,  from  Pass- 
yunk  Avenut  to  Magazine  Lane;  and  Delaware  Avenue  from 
the  north  side  of  Bigler  Street  to  the  north  property  line 
of  the  proposed  terminal  yards  of  the  Pennsylvania  Com- 
panies at  Hoyt  Street.  And  it  is  further  understood  and 
agreed  that  provision  shall  be  made  to  permit  of  the  physical 
opening  of  so  much  of  the  following  streets  as  are  now 
upon  the  City  plan,  or  as  revised  and  placed  thereon  under 
authority  of  said  Ordinance,  as  lie  upon  or  across  the  rights- 
of-way  of  the  Pennsylvania  Companies  and  the  Baltimore 
Companies  respectively : — 

WASHINGTON  AVENUE  BRANCH  OF  THE  PHILA- 
DELPHIA, BALTIMORE  AND  WASHINGTON 
RAILROAD: 

Twenty-eighth  Street;  Federal  Street  east  of  Twenty- 
eighth  Street;  Annin  Street;  Ellsworth  Street;  Twenty- 
seventh  Street;  Washington  Avenue  longitudinally,  and  all 
intersecting  streets,  between  Gray's  Ferry  Avenue  and  Fifth 
Street,  except  the  central  portion  of  Washington  Avenue 
between  the  east  building  line  of  Sixth  Street  and  the  west 
building  line  of  Fifth  Street,  which  will  be  occupied  by  the 
two  track  railroad  to  be  constructed  between  retaining  walls. 

DELAWARE  EXTENSION  OF  THE  PENNSYLVANIA 
RAILROAD: 

Gray's  Ferry  Avenue;  Washington  Avenue;  Twenty- 
fifth  Street,  longitudinally,  and  all  intersecting  streets,  from 
Washington  Avenue  to  Point  Breeze  Avenue;  Point  Breeze 
Avenue  and  all  intersecting  streets  between  Twenty-fifth 
and  Twenty-ninth  Streets;  Twenty-ninth  Street,  Vare  Ave- 
nue; Passyunk  Avenue;  Twenty-ninth  Street  longitudinally, 
and  all  intersecting  streets,  from  Passyunk  Avenue  to,  and 
including,  Magazine  Lane;  Sixty-third  Street  as  extended 
from  west  of  the  Schuylkill  River;  Pattison  Avenue;  Pen- 
rose Avenue;  Pennypacker  Avenue,  and  one  street  to  be 
opened  on  the  line  of  Twenty-sixth  Street,  or  between 
Twenty-fifth  and  Twenty-sixth  Streets. 

SCHUYLKILL   RIVER   EAST   SIDE   RAILROAD: 

Schuylkill  Avenue;  Passyunk  Avenue;  Twenty-ninth 
Street  longitudinally,  and  all  intersecting  streets,  from 
Passyunk  Avenue  to,  and  including,  Magazine  Lane;  Sixty- 
third  Street  as  extended  from  west  of  Schuylkill  River; 
Pattison  Avenue;  Penrose  Avenue;  Pennypacker  Avenue, 
and  one  street  to  be  opened  on  the  line  of  Twenty-sixth 
Street,  or  between  Twenty-fifth  and  Twenty-sixth  Streets. 

52 


Broad  Street  shall  be  carried  over  the  tracks  of  the 
Delaware  Extension  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  and  the 
Schuylkill  River  East  Side  Railroad,  at  the  point  herein- 
before designated,  and  with  a  clearance  of  not  less  than 
■  ■  the  tops  of  the  rails  of  the  said  tracks 
to  the  underside  of  the  proposed  bridge  carrying  Broad 
Street.  The  elevation  of  tops  of  rails  of  said  tracks  need 
not  be  lower  than  +  1.0  City  datum. 

The  viaducts  and  bridges  to  carry  the  6aid  railroads  shall 
be  constructed  so  as  to  give  a  clearance  of  not  less  than  four- 
teen feet  above  the  grades  of  all  avenues  and  streets  passing 
underneath  the  same,  with  the  right,  in  special  cases  to  be 
approved  by  the  Director,  to  place  steel  columns  within 
the  curb  lines  of  streets,  and  in  the  case  of  avenues  one 
hundred  feet  or  over  in  width,  additional  columns  may  be 
placed  along  the  center  lines  thereof.  In  cases  where  streets 
or  avenues  are  occupied  longitudinally  by  elevated 
structures,  columns  may  be  placed  in  the  driveways  and 
within  the  curb  lines  i  reets  or  avenues. 

In  case   tl  .   the   future  to  open   streets 

or  avenues  now  on  the  City  plan,  or  as  revised  under  the 
authority  of  the  .said  Ordinance,  over  or  under  the  elevated 
and  reconstructed   railroads  referred  to,  in  addition  to  those 

hall  be  so  opened  as  not  to 
require  any  change  in  the  grades  of  the  said  railroads,  and 
such  openings,  including  bridge  construction,  within  the 
right  of  way  lines  of  the  Railroad  Companies  shall  be  at  the 
equal  expense  of  the  City  and  the  said  Railroad  Companies. 
The  City  agrees  to  strike  from  the  City  plan  any  and  all 

tl  and  avenues  that  may  now  pass  through  the  prop- 
erly which  will,  as  herein  provided,  comprise  the  new  ter- 
minal yards  of  the  Railroad  Companies  situate  between 
Broad  Street  and  the  Delaware  River  and  south  of  the  re- 
located lines  of  the  said  Companies. 

No  streets  or  avenues  shall  hereafter  be  laid  out  to  cross 
at  grade  the  portions  of  railroads  of  the  Pennsylvania  and 
Baltimore  Companies  herein  provided  to  be  elevated,  or  to 
cross  at  grade  that  part  of  the  Delaware  Extension  of  the 
Pennsylvania  Railroad  and  the  Schuylkill  River  East  Side 
Railroad  which  is  partly  elevated  and  partly  on  the  surface 
from  Penrose  Avenue  to  and  under  Broad  Street,  or  the 
extension  of  the  running  tracks  of  the  said  Companies  to 
Delaware  Avenue,  or  the  new  terminal  yards  of  the  Rail- 
road Companies  lying  between  Broad  Street  and  the  Dela- 
ware River,  except  that  the  provisions  of  this  paragraph 
shall  not  apply  to  the  extension  of  the  Swanson  Street 
Branch  southwardly  to  a  connection  with  the  relocated  main 
running  tracks  of  the  Delaware  Extension  of  the  Pennsyl- 
vania Railroad,  the  extension  of  the  Schuylkill   River  East 

53 


Side  Railroad  on  Vandalia  Street  southwardly  to  a  junction 
with  the  relocated  main  running  tracks  of  the  Baltimore 
Companies,  nor  to  the  surface  tracks  on  Delaware  Avenue. 
However,  new  connections  between  main  running  tracks  and 
existing  tracks  and  sidings  now  reached  by  the  respective 
Railroad  Companies  to  serve  existing  industries  and 
branches  may  be  constructed  across  streets  at  grade,  but  no 
connections  to  serve  new  industries  shall  be  constructed 
across  the  full  width  of  any  street  at  grade  without  the 
approval  of  the  City. 

Seventh — It  is  further  agreed  by  and  between  the  City 
and  the  Railroad  Companies  that  the  general  supervision  of 
the  work  provided  in  Article  Fourth  hereof  shall  be  in 
charge  of  the  said  Director,  the  Chief  Engineer  of  the 
Bureau  of  Surveys  or  such  engineer  as  the  said  Director 
shall  designate  for  that  duty,  and  that  the  general  super- 
vision of  the  work  provided  for  in  Article  Fifth  shall  be 
in  charge  of  the  Engineer  or  Engineers  of  the  Railroad 
Companies  affected  or  such  engineer  or  engineers  as  they 
shall  designate  for  that  duty.  They  shall  confer  with  each 
other  in  respect  to  the  plans  and  specifications  for  the  various 
parts  or  portions  of  the  work,  and  in  respect  to  the  per- 
formance of  the  work,  at  all  times  during  the  preparation 
and  progress  of  the  same,  and  each  shall,  upon  notice  from 
the  other,  or  upon  any  fault  or  failure  of  any  party,  firm 
or  corporation  holding  contracts  for  any  part  of  said  work, 
promptly  proceed  to  secure  full  compliance  with  the  plans 
and  specifications  pertaining  thereto,  in  accordance  with 
the  provisions  of  the  contract. 

The  Engineers  of  the  Railroad  Companies  are  author- 
ized to  employ  such  engineers,  assistants,  draughtsmen, 
engineering  corps,  and  inspectors  as  may  be  necessary  to 
prepare  or  examine  plans  and  specifications  and  to  insure 
the  prompt  and  efficient  execution  of  the  work,  and  shall 
prepare  the  necessary  certificates  and  other  documentary 
records  and  accounts  of  the  work  under  their  supervision, 
which  records  and  accounts  shall  at  all  times  be  open  to 
inspection  by  the  authorized  representatives  of  the  City. 
All  expenses  for  salaries,  transportation,  office  and  incidental 
expenses  of  said  engineering  force,  and  the  costs  of  inspec- 
tion and  tests  not  otherwise  provided  for,  shall  be  included 
in  the  cost  of  the  work. 

The  Director  is  hereby  authorized  to  appoint  such 
engineers,  assistants,  draughtsmen,  engineering  corps  and 
inspectors  as  may  be  required  to  enable  the  Department  of 
Public  Works  to  prepare  or  examine  plans  and  specifications, 
to  properly  inspect  the  work  during  progress  of  construction 
and  to  prepare  the  necessary  certificates  and  other  docu- 
mentary records  and  accounts  of  the  work  under  its  super- 

54 


vision,  which  records  and  accounts  shall  at  all  times  be 
open  to  inspection  by  the  authorized  representativei  of  the 
Railroad  Companies.  All  expenses  for  salaries,  transporta- 
tion, office  and  incidental  expenses  of  said  engineering  force, 
and  the  expenses  of  inspection  and  tests  not  otherwise  pro- 
vided for  shall  be  included  in  the  cost  of  the  work. 

In  case  of  emergency  work  in  maintaining  railroad  or 
highway  travel,  and  in  other  cases  where  necessary,  not  cov- 
ered by  contract,  the  Engineer  or  Engineers  of  the  Rail- 
road Companies  shall  have  authority  to  employ  laborers  and 
mechanics,  hire  machinery  and  purchase  tools  and  materials 
to  perform  such  work;  a  labor  force  account  and  an  account 
of  the  machinery,  tools  and  materials  so  used,  including 
height  charges  thereon  at  published  rates,  shall  be  kept  and, 
after  approval  by  the  Engineer  or  Engineers  of  the  Railroad 
Companies  affected  and  the  Director,  shall  be  paid  by  the 
said  Railroad  Companies  and  included  in  the  cost  of  the 
work. 

In  cases  of  emergency  work  in  protecting  and  main- 
taining municipal  structures,  in  other  cases  where  neces- 
sary, and  in  such  classes  of  work  upon  the  highways  as 
may  not  be  covered  by  contract,  the  said  Director  is 
authorized  to  employ  laborers  and  mechanics,  hire  machinery 
an(J    pui  olfl    and    materials    to    perform    such    work 

and  a  labor  force  account  and  an  account  of  the  machin- 
ery, tools  and  materials  so  used,  including  freight  charges 
thereon  at  published  rates,  shall  be  kept,  and,  after  approval 
by  the  Director  and  by  the  Engineer  or  Engineers  of  the 
Railroad  Companies  affected,  .-hall  be  paid  by  the  City  and 
included  in  the  cost  of  the  work.  After  the  completion  of 
the  work  the  repairs,  maintenance  and  renewals  of  the  drive- 
ways of  streets  and  to  sewers,  gas  and  water  pipes,  con- 
duits and  municipal  structures  provided  for  or  affected  by 
this  agreement,  for  which  the  Railroad  Companies  are  to 
pay  a  share  of  the  original  cost,  shall  be  made  by,  and  at  the 
sole  expense  of,  the  City. 

In  recording  the  cost  of  the  work,  the  Railroad  Com- 
panies (and  the  City  may  if  it  so  desires)  shall,  for  their  own 
records,  include  interest  during  construction. 

Eighth.— The  said  City  hereby  further  agrees  that  the 
Pennsylvania  Companies,  the  Baltimore  Companies  and  the 
Belt  Line  Company  shall,  after  the  completion  of  the  work 
required  hereunder,  be  at  liberty,  from  time  to  time,  and  at 
all  times,  to  enter  upon  all  streets,  lanes  or  alleys,  whereon 
the  supports  of  the  said  several  elevated  structures  shall  rest, 
including  bridge  abutments,  piers  and  all  columns  and  other 
supports  of  the  elevated  structures  of  all  kinds  provided  for 
herein,  for  the  maintenance,  renewal  or  repair  of  the  same, 

55 


and  each  of  them.  Such  work  shall  be  done  by  and  at  the 
sole  expense  of  the  Railroad  Companies  affected  and  for  thii 
purpose  the  City  shall  issue  such  permits  as  may  from  tim» 
to  time  be  required  by  the  Railroad  Companies. 

Ninth. — It  is  further  agreed  that  whenever  and  wher- 
ever, in  the  opinion  of  the  Mayor  of  the  City  and  the 
Pennsylvania  Companies  and  the  Baltimore  Companies, 
the  acquisition  of  property  is  necessary  to  carry  out  the  pur- 
poses of  this  agreement  such  property  may  be  acquired  by 
purchase  or  gift,  the  City  and  the  Railroad  Companies 
co-operating  with  each  other  in  such  acquisition,  or  the  said 
Railroad  Companies  shall  exercise  their  right  to  appropriate 
property  for  railroad  purposes,  and  the  City  shall  exercise 
its  right  to  appropriate  property  for  public  use,  in  any  case 
where,  under  their  powers,  or  the  powers  of  either  of  them, 
such  property  may  be  lawfully  appropriated. 

Tenth. — With  the  exception  of  the  yard  tracks  of  the 
Girard  Point  Branch  north  of  Penrose  Avenue  which 
are  to  be  relocated  alongside  of  the  new  four  track  run- 
ning line  west  of  Twenty-ninth  Street  and  which  now 
serve  the  yards  and  facilities  of  the  Girard  Point  Storage 
Company  south  of  that  Avenue  and  the  works  of  the  Atlan- 
tic Refining  Company  and  other  industries  north  thereof, 
the  Pennsylvania  Companies  hereby  agree  to  abandon  the 
use  for  railroad  purposes  of  all  existing  yards  along  the 
running  track  and  branches  of  the  Delaware  Extension  of 
the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  from  a  point  south  of  Twenty- 
fifth  and  McKean  Streets  to  Delaware  Avenue  and  Bigler 
Street,  together  with  the  piers  and  terminal  equipment  at 
Greenwich  Point,  and  to  use,  in  lieu  thereof,  yards,  piers, 
and  terminal  facilities  to  be  constructed  south  of  the  south 
building  line  of  Hoyt  Street  and  between  Broad  Street  and 
the  Delaware  River.  The  property  so  to  be  abandoned  by 
the  Pennsylvania  Companies,  shall,  for  the  purposes  of  this 
agreement,  be  divided  into  two  sections.  Section  One  shall 
include  the  real  estate,  piers  and  terminal  facilities  and 
appurtenances  (whether  owned  by  the  Pennsylvania  Com- 
panies or  others),  located  between  the  east  line  of  Delaware 
Avenue  and  the  pierhead  line  and  between  the  north  property 
line  of  the  Pennsylvania  Companies  south  of  Bigler  Street 
and  the  south  building  line  of  Hoyt  Street,  and  Section  Two 
shall  include  the  remainder  of  the  real  estate  and  railroad 
facilities  other  than  that  used  for  the  two  running  tracks  so 
to  be  abandoned  by  the  Pennsylvania  Companies,  namely, 
that  situate  between  Twenty-fifth  and  McKean  Streets  and 
Delaware  Avenue  and  Bigler  Street. 

The  City  hereby  agrees  to  purchase,  and  the  Pennsyl- 
vania Companies  agree  to  sell,  for  municipal  development 
of  the    water  front  or    for  other    municipal  purposes,    but 

56 


not  for  sale  or  lease  to  any  other  railroad  company  now, 
or  hereafter,  incorporated,  unless  such  railroad  company  be 
exclusively  owned  by  the  City,  the  real  estate,  piers,  terminal 
facilities  and  appurtenances  included  in  said  Section  One, 
and  to  pay  therefor  to  the  Pennsylvania  Companies  the 
appraised  value  of  the  said  real  estate  based  upon  the  pur- 
poses for  which  the  same  is  now  used,  and  an  additional 
sum  equivalent  to  the  estimated  cost  of  replacing:  in  kind 
the  piers,  terminal  facilities  and  appurtenances,  including 
the  cost  of  dredging  between  the  pierhead  line  and  the  bulk- 
head line.  The  said  appraised  value  of  the  real  estate  shall 
be  determined  by  a  board  of  three  appraisers,  one  to  be 
selected  by  the  Mayor  of  the  City  and  one  by  the  Pennsyl- 
vania Companies,  the  two  appraisers  so  chosen  to  select  a 
third  appraiser,  and  the  decision  of  the  said  three  appraisers, 
or  a  majority  of  them,  shall  be  binding  upon  the  Pennsyl- 
vania Companies  and  the  City.  In  case  either  of  the  said 
parties  fail  to  select  an  appraiser  as  aforesaid  for  the  period 
of  twenty  days  after  written  notice  given  by  the  other  party 
to  make  such  selection,  then,  in  that  event,  the  appraiser 
selected  by  the  party  not  in  default  shall  select  an  expe- 
rienced appraiser  for  the  defaulting  party,  and  the  three  so 
chosen,  or  a  majority  of  them,  shall  determine  said  value. 
The  expense  of  said  appraisal  shall  be  borne  equally  by 
the  City  and  the  Pennsylvania   Companies. 

The  cost  of  the  real  estate  to  provide  the  said  new  area 
equal  to  the  area  abandoned  in  Section  Two  and  the  cost 
of  the  new  terminal  yard  and  its  facilities  south  of  the 
south  building  line  of  Hoyt  Street  equal  to  that  now  used 
and  enjoyed  and  which  will  be  abandoned  for  railroad  pur- 
poses by  the  Pennsylvania  Companies  in  said  Section  Two 
shall  be  included  in  the  general  cost  of  the  work  herein 
provided  to  be  borne  equally  by  the  City  and  the  Pennsyl- 
vania Companies,  but  an  appraisal  shall  be  made  of  the 
value  of  real  estate  owned  and  of  the  market  value  of  the 
materials  comprising  the  railroad  tracks  and  facilities  so  to 
be  abandoned  by  the  Pennsylvania  Companies  in  said 
Section  Two,  and  in  the  two  running  tracks  from  Twenty- 
fifth  and  McKean  Streets  to  Delaware  Avenue  and  Bigler 
Street,  and  in  the  Girard  Point  Branch  and  in  the  Schuyl- 
kill River  Branch  Extension,  and  one-half  of  said  appraised 
value  shall  be  credited  to  the  City's  proportion  of  said  cost, 
but  in  no  event  shall  the  amount  so  credited  for  real  estate 
in  Section  Two  exceed  the  City's  proportion  of  the  said 
cost  of  the  real  estate  obtained  for  the  said  new  area  and 
terminal  facilities. 

The  Baltimore  Companies  hereby  agree  to  abandon  th« 
use  for  railroad  purposes  of  all  existing  yards  and  real 
estate  which  they  may  have  along  the  running  tracks  and 
branches     of    the     Schuylkill     River     East     Side     Railroad 

57 


tween  a  point  in  Wolf  Street,  near  Thirtieth  Street,  and 
Shunk  and  Vandalia  Streets,  together  with  the  piers  and 
terminal  facilities  situated  between  McKean  and  Jackson 
Streets  and  between  Delaware  Avenue  and  the  pierhead 
line,  and  to  use  in  lieu  thereof,  real  estate,  yards,  piers  and 
terminal  facilities  to  be  acquired  or  constructed  by  the 
Baltimore  Companies  between  Broad  Street  and  the  Dela- 
ware River  and  directly  south  of  the  new  terminal  yard 
of   the    Pennsylvania   Companies   hereinbefore   mentioned. 

The  City  hereby  agrees  to  purchase,  and  the  Baltimore 
Companies,  for  themselves  and  for  any  subsidiary  company 
holding  under  or  for  them,  agree  to  sell,  for  municipal 
development  of  the  waterfront,  or  for  other  municipal  pur- 
poses, but  not  for  sale  or  lease  to  any  other  railroad  com- 
pany now,  or  hereafter,  incorporated,  unless  such  railroad 
company  be  exclusively  owned  by  the  City,  the  real  estate, 
piers,  terminal  facilities  and  appurtenances  of  the  said 
Baltimore  Companies  situate  between  McKean  Street  and 
Jackson  Street  and  between  the  east  line  of  Delaware  Ave- 
nue and  the  pierhead  line,  and  to  pay  therefor  to  the  Balti- 
more Companies  the  appraised  value  of  the  said  real  estate, 
based  upon  the  purposes  for  which  the  same  is  now  used, 
and  an  additional  sum  equivalent  to  the  estimated  cost  of 
replacing  in  kind  the  piers,  terminal  facilities  and  appur- 
tenances, including  the  cost  of  dredging  between  the  pier- 
head line  and  the  bulkhead  line.  The  said  appraised  value 
of  the  real  estate  shall  be  determined  by  a  board  of  three 
appraisers,  one  to  be  selected  by  the  Mayor  of  the  City  and 
one  by  the  Baltimore  Companies,  the  two  appraisers  so 
chosen  to  select  a  third  appraiser,  and  the  decision  of  the 
said  three  appraisers,  or  a  majority  of  them,  shall  be  bind- 
ing upon  the  Baltimore  Companies  and  the  City.  In  case 
either  of  the  said  parties  fail  to  select  an  appraiser  as 
aforesaid  for  the  period  of  twenty  days  after  written  notice 
given  by  the  other  party  to  make  such  selection,  then,  in 
that  event,  the  appraiser  selected  by  the  party  not  in  default 
shall  select  an  experienced  appraiser  for  the  defaulting 
party,  and  the  three  so  chosen,  or  a  majority  of  them,  shall 
determine  said  value.  The  expenses  of  said  appraisal  shall 
be  borne  equally  by  the  City  and  the  Baltimore  Companies. 

Real  estate  and  yard  facilities  in  the  new  area  south  of 
the  said  proposed  yard  of  the  Pennsylvania  Companies 
equal  to  that  abandoned  by  the  Baltimore  Companies — ex- 
cepting real  estate  and  yard  facilities  included  in  the  area 
between  McKean  Street  and  Jackson  Street  and  between 
the  east  line  of  Delaware  Avenue  and  the  pierhead  line  to 
be  sold  to  the  City — shall  be  provided  in  the  manner  herein- 
before set  forth  for  the  replacement  of  real  estate  and 
yard  facilities  abandoned  by  the  Pennsylvania  Companies  in 
Section   Two.     If   additional   real   estate   is   desired   by   the 

58 


said  Pennsylvania  Companies  and  the  Baltimore  Companies 
in  their  respective  new  areas  the  cost  thereof  shall  be 
wholly  paid  for  by  the  said  Companies,  as  shall  also  the  cost 
of  all  facilities  for  enlarging  and  extending  the  yard  facil- 
ities so  furnished  in  lieu  of  those  abandoned. 

The  dredging  of  the  Delaware  River  from  the  channel 
to  the  pierhead  line  of  the  terminal  yards  of  the  Pennsyl- 
vania Companies  and  the  Baltimore  Companies  south  of  the 
south  building  line  of  Hoyt  Street  and  the  depositing  of  the 
dredged  material  within  the  limits  of  the  said  yards  must 
be  completed  before  the  abandonment  by  the  Pennsylvania 
Companies  of  the  said  Greenwich  Point  terminals  between 
Bigler  Street  and  the  ?aid  south  building  line  of  Hoyt  Street 
and  the  abandonment  by  the  Baltimore  Companies  of  their 
terminals  bttwetn  McKean  and  Jackson  Streets  and  between 
Delaware  Avenue  and  the  pierhead  line,  and  sufficient  time 
allowed  said  Companies  to  construct  on  the  material 
deposited  the  new  terminal  facilities  and  appurtenances. 
Provision  shall  be  made  for  the  said  dredging  and  deposit- 
ing of  the  material  within  the  limits  of  the  new  yards  r.nd 
the  cost  thereof  shall  be  borne  jointly  by  the  City  and  the 
Railroad   CompaE  < 

The  Railroad  Companies  phall  dedicate  to  the  City  so 
much  of  the  property  owned  or  controlled  by  them  within 
the  territory  covered  by  this  agreement  as  lies  within  the 
line*  of  any  rtreet  now  upon  the  city  plan  or  placed  thereon 
under  authority  of  said  ordinance,  except  such  portions  of 
streets  as  shall  be  actually  occupied  by  solid  elevated  rail- 
road structures  and  the  City  shall  provide  a  right  of  way 
for  the  Railroad  Companies  over  and  through  property 
owned  or  controlled  by  it  required  to  carry  out  the  pur- 
poses of  this  agreement,  including  the  necessary  right  of 
way  through  League  Island  Park.  In  accordance  therewith, 
the  Pennsylvania  Companies  agree  to  dedicate  to  the  City 
all  property  owned  by  them  and  to  change  and  remove  such 
buildings  thereon  and  therefrom  and  readjust  all  tracks 
and  facilities  required  for  the  opening  of  Delaware  Avenue 
between  Queen  Street  and  Bigler  Street  and  the  City  agrees 
to  strike  from  the  City  plan  and  vacate  Washington  Ave- 
nue from  Delaware  Avenue  to  the  pierhead  line  of  the 
Delaware  River,  Ellsworth  Street  from  Front  Street  east- 
ward as  far  as  the  same  is  now  legally  open,  Federal  and 
Wharton  Streets  from  Front  Street  eastward  as  far  as  the 
same  are  now  upon  the  City  plan,  Water  Street  from  Reed 
Street  to  Washington  Avenue  and  Lee  Street  from  Reed 
Street  northward  a3  far  as  the  same  is  now  open;  and  to 
widen  Washington  Avenue  twenty  feet  on  the  south  side 
from  Front  Street  to  Delaware  Avenue,  Reed  Street  thirty 
feet  on  the  north  side  from  Front  Street  to  Delaware  Ave- 
nue and  Front  Street  twenty  feet  on  the  east  side  from  Reed 

59 


Street  to  Washington  Avenue,  to  permit  of  the  construction 
and  reconstruction  by  the  Pennsylvania  Companies  between 
Reed  Street  and  Queen  Street  of  yards  and  yard  facilities, 
the  cost  of  that  portion  which  is  necessary  to  replace 
tracks  for  storage  and  yard  facilities  given  up  by  the  said 
Pennsylvania  Companies  in  the  adjustment  necessitated  by 
such  opening  of  Delaware  Avenue  between  Queen  Street 
and  Bigler  Street — including  the  purchase  of  the  property 
therefor  between  Reed  Street  and  Washington  Avenue; 
and  Front  Street  and  Delaware  Avenues — shall  be  shared 
equally  by  the  City  and  the  Pennsylvania  Companies.  The 
Baltimore  Companies  agree  to  dedicate  to  the  City  all 
property  owned  by  them  between  Jackson  Street  and 
Vandalia  Street  required  for  the  opening  of  Delaware  Ave- 
nue and  the  City  agrees  to  strike  from  the  City  plan  and 
vacate  Dilworth  and  Severn  Streets  between  Jackson  Street 
and  Snyder  Avenue,  and  while  Jackson  Street,  between 
Thirty-sixth  Street  and  the  Schuylkill  River,  is  to  remain 
as  at  present  on  the  City  plan,  the  same  shall  be  used  by  the 
City  only  for  sewer  and  drainage  purposes  and  shall  not 
hereafter  be  opened  for  highway  purposes. 

Eleventh. — It  is  further  understood  and  agreed  that, 
except  where  it  is  herein  otherwise  expressly  provided,  the 
City  shall  pay  one-half  and  the  Pennsylvania  Companies 
and  the  Baltimore  Companies  shall  pay  one-half  of  the  cost 
of  all  work  on  the  said  Companies'  respective  railroads  in 
cases  where  the  portions  of  relocated  or  improved  lines  of 
railroad  will  be  used  exclusively  by  either  the  Pennsylvania 
Companies  or  the  Baltimore  Companies,  as  well  as  that 
portion  of  the  joint  four  track  railroad  on  Delaware  Avenue 
from  Biger  Street  to  Vandalia  Street,  and  that  in  the  case 
of  that  portion  of  the  respective  two-track  railroads  of  the 
Pennsylvania  Companies  and  the  Baltimore  Companies  (to 
be  used  as  a  part  of  the  hereinafter  mentioned  joint  four- 
track  line)  from  a  point  near  Twenty-ninth  Street  and 
Passyunk  Avenue  to  Delaware  Avenue  and  Bigler  Street, 
the  City  shall  pay  two-fifths  and  the  Railroad  Companies 
three-fifths  of  all  costs  connected  with  the  substitution  of 
said  four  track  railroad  for  the  existing  running  lines  of 
the  respective  Companies,  except  that  the  cost  of  the  right 
of  way  required,  as  hereinafter  in  Article  Sixteenth  pro- 
vided, for  a  six  track  line  from  Twenty-ninth  Street  and 
Magazine  Lane  to  Delaware  Avenue  and  Hoyt  Street  shall 
be  borne  in  the  proportion  of  three-fifths  by  the  City  and 
two-fifths  by  tha  said  Railroad  Companies.  Each  of  the  said 
Companies  and  said  City  shall  and  will  make  prompt  pay- 
ment of  their  respective  proportions  of  said  costs  at  such 
times  and  in  the  manner  hereinafter  set  forth. 

Twelfth. — It  is  agreed  by  and  between  the  parties  hereto 
that  the  Director  shall  arrange  with  the  proper  officials  of 

80 


the  Pennsylvania  Companies  and  the  Baltimore  Companies 
to  keep  true  and  itemized  accounts  concerning  the  various 
payments  and  disbursements  made,  or  to  be  made,  by 
each  upon  all  obligations  whether  assumed  by  contract  or 
in  any  manner  herein  authorized.  Settlements  between  the 
City  and  the  said  Companies — based  upon  said  itemized 
accounts,  duly  certified — shall  be  made  monthly  as  the  work 
herein  provided  for  shall  progress  and  the  said  Director 
shall  draw  a  warrant  or  warrants  for  any  balance  that  may 
be  payable  to  either  the  Pennsylvania  Companies  or  the 
Baltimore  Companies;  in  like  manner  the  said  Pennsylvania 
Companies  and  the  Baltimore  Companies  shall  promptly 
pay  into  the  City  Treasury  all  such  sums  as  may  be  found 
to  be  due  and  payable  to  the  City  and  all  such  sums  shall  be 
credited  to  the  appropriation,  and  become  immediately  avail- 
able for  the  work  provided  for  herein. 

Thirteenth. — It  is  hereby  further  mutually  covenanted 
and  agreed  between  the  parties  hereto  that  the  City  and 
the  Pennsylvania  Companies  and  the  Baltimore  Companies 
shall,  in  like  proportion  to  the  cost  of  the  construction  work 
on  the  various  sections  of  the  respective  railroads  of  said 
Companies  borne  by  the  said  parties,  be  liable  for  and  will 
pay  (a.)  all  claims  for  damapes,  or  judgments  for  the  recov- 
ers' thereof,  including  interest  and  costs,  arising  from  acci- 
dents due  to,  or  arising  from  or  incident  to  the  execution 
of  the  work  for  which  either  party  may  be  held  to  be 
responsible,  excepting  such  accidents  as  may  be  due  solely  to 
negligence  or  carelessness  in  railroad  operation,  (b.)  (except- 
ing where  otherwise  herein  provided)  all  damages  arising 
from  the  opening,  widening,  vacation  or  physical  changes 
in  the  lines  or  grades  of  streets,  lanes  or  alleys  at  the 
points  whereat  and  to  the  extent  the  same  are  made  necessary 
by  the  work  herein  provided  for,  and  (c.)  (excepting  where 
otherwise  herein  provided)  all  claims  or  judgments  for  the 
recovery  thereof,  including  interest  and  costs  which  may 
arise  from  the  consequential  injury  to  persons,  property  or 
estates,  arising  from  or  growing  out  of  the  changes  in 
location  or  elevation  of  the  railroads  of  the  Pennsylvania 
Companies  and  the  Baltimore  Companies;  and  for  the  more 
speedy  and  economical  adjustment  of  claims  arising  or  to 
arise  hereunder,  the  City  Solicitor,  with  the  advice  and  con- 
sent of  the  Mayor,  and  the  approval  of  the  said  Railroad 
Companies,  shall  compromise,  settle  and  adjust  any  and  all 
of  such  claims,  and  the  Director  shall  draw  warrants  upon 
the  City  Treasurer  for  such  sums  as  shall  be  required  from 
time  to  time  for  the  settlement  and  payment  of  such  claims, 
the  amounts  thereof  to  be  taken  from  the  appropriations  by 
said  ordinance  provided  for:  Provided,  that  when  any  claim 
ehall  be  presented  to  or  any  suit  on  account  thereof  shall  be 
brourrht  against  any  of  the  said  parties,  the  others  have  the 

61 


right,  on  due  notice,  to  appear  and  defend,  on  their  own 
behalf,  or  otherwise  they  shall  not  be  bound  by  any  judg- 
ment or  decree  in  the  premises.  The  City  Solicitor  shall 
arrange  with  the  said  Railroad  Companies  and  their  attor- 
neys for  a  division  of  the  work  of  preparing  cases  for  trial, 
the  preparation  and  production  of  testimony,  and  the  con- 
duct of  hearings  or  trials,  and  all  expenses  connected  with 
the  defense  of  such  claims  or  suits,  save  the  service  of  the 
City  Solicitor,  or  his  associates,  or  of  special  counsel  to  be 
employed  on  behalf  of  the  City,  and  the  services  of  the  attor- 
neys or  counsel  of  the  Pennsylvania  Companies  and  the 
Baltimore  Companies,  shall  be  included  in  and  settled  and 
paid  for,  as  parts  of  the  expense  of  the  work  provided  for 
herein. 

Fourteenth. — It  is  mutually  understood  and  agreed  that, 
except  as  otherwise  specifically  provided  for  herein,  the  work 
contemplated  and  to  be  done  under  this  agreement  for  which 
the  cost  is  to  be  apportioned  between  the  City  and  the  Penn- 
sylvania Companies  and  the  Baltimore  Companies,  shall 
consist  only  of  that  which  may  be  necessary  to  provide  the 
various  railroad  lines  affected  with  real  estate  equal  in  area 
and  facilities  for  the  handling  of  railroad  traffic  equal  to 
those  now  used  and  enjoyed  by  them  and  only  such  changes 
of  physically  and  legally  open  streets  and  municipal  struc- 
tures as  may  be  necessitated  by  the  changing,  construction, 
reconstruction  or  elevation  of  the  railroad  lines  under,  over 
and  adjoining  such  streets.  All  real  estate  for  yards,  rights- 
of-way  or  other  railroad  purposes  and  all  construction  work, 
including  all  labor,  structural  work,  and  material  required 
for  the  same,  intended  to  increase  the  traffic  facilities  of  the 
said  Railroad  Companies,  all  new  freight  depots,  signal 
towers,  signals,  telegraph  or  telephone  stations  or  other 
appurtenances  or  improvements  intended  to  increase  traffic 
facilities  and  all  changes  or  improvements  to  existing  sta- 
tions and  appurtenances  other  than  those  required  to  adapt 
the  present  traffic  facilities  and  appurtenances  to  the  new 
conditions  shall  be  wholly  paid  for  by  the  said  Companies. 

Fifteenth. — It  is  mutually  understood  and  agreed  that, 
upon  the  completion  of  the  work  provided  for,  all  real  estate 
purchased  by  the  Pennsylvania  Companies  and  the  Balti- 
more Companies,  after  the  date  of  this  agreement,  for  the 
use  and  benefit  of  the  said  work,  but  not  actually  used  for  the 
joint  interest,  and  all  old  rails  and  other  materials  now  in 
use  by  the  said  Pennsylvania  Companies  and  Baltimore  Com- 
panies, which  may  not  be  used  in  the  construction  of  the 
new  work,  shall  be  disposed  of  at  public  sale  and  the  proceeds 
thereof  shall  be  credited  to  the  joint  appropriation.  It  is 
also  further  understood  and  agreed  that  upon  the  completion 
of  the  work  provided  for  all  old  paving  materials  and  street 
improvements  removed  from  the  work,  but  not  actually  used 

62 


for  the  joint  interest,  shall  be  disposed  of  at  public  sale  and 
the  proceeds  thereof  shall  be  credited  to  the  joint  appropria- 
tion. Provided,  that  should  the  Pennsylvania  Companies  or 
the  Baltimore  Companies  desire  to  hold  any  of  the  said  real 
estate,  old  rails  or  other  materials  so  to  be  disposed  of,  an 
appraisement  of  the  value  of  the  same  shall  be  made  and 
such  appraised  valuo  credited  to  the  joint  appropriation. 
Provided,  further,  that  should  the  City  desire  to  hold  any 
paving  materials  or  street  improvements  removed  from  the 
work  and  so  to  be  disposed  of,  an  appraisement  of  the  value 
of  the  same  shall  be  made  and  such  appraised  value  credited 
to  the  joint  appropriation. 

Sixteenth. — The  City  deems  it  necessary  that  all  railroad 
companies  now  or  hereafter  entering  the  City  should  have 
free  access  on  equal  terms  to  all  public  and  private  wharves 
on  the  Delaware  River  and  desirable  that  what  is  popularly 
known  as  the  "Belt  Line"  principle  should  be  of  the  most 
general  public  application,  and  recognizes  that  the  Philadel- 
phia Belt  Line  Railroad  Company,  although  legally  a  "cor- 
poration for  profit,"  is  in  fact  a  corporation  created  and 
existing  in  the  public  interest.  The  railroad  companies 
desire  to  co-operate  in  this  policy  so  far  as  they  may  in 
complying  with  the  terms  of  this  agreement,  having  due 
regard  to  the  existing  investments  of  the  moneys  of  their 
stock  and  bondholders  and  the  additional  investments  to 
which  they  are  obligated  under  this  agreement.  To  carry 
out  this  common  intent  it  is  covenanted  and  agreed  as  fol- 
lows, the  words  and  phrases  used  in  this  Article  being  in- 
tended to  be  taken  in  their  popular  and  usual  acceptation 
and  not  in  any  technical  sense,  and  the  grant  of  a  ripht 
being  intended  to  include,  without  express  definition,  every- 
thing necessary  for  the  exercise  of  such  right. 

1.  Nothing  in  this  agreement  shall  be  construed  as  limit- 
ing or  abrogating  any  agreement  between  the  Belt  Line 
Company,  and  other  companies,  nor  any  rights  or  franchises 
of  the  Belt  Line  Company,  north  of  Queen  Street. 

2.  The  City  hereby  grants  to  the  Belt  Line  Company  the 
right  to  lay  two  tracks  on  Delaware  Avenue  from  Queen 
Street  to  Hoyt  Street,  in  consideration  for  which  grant  the 
Belt  Line  Company  hereby  relinquishes  and  surrenders  all 
rights  and  privileges  heretofore  granted  between  said  points 
for  which  rights  hereby  granted  are  a  substitute. 

3.  The  right  of  way  for  that  portion  of  the  joint  rail- 
road from  Twenty-ninth  Street  and  Magazine  Lane  to  Dela- 
ware Avenue  and  Hoyt  Street  shall  be  of  sufficient  width  to 
fully  provide  for  six  running  or  main  tracks. 

4.  Two  of  which  tracks  with  the  necessary  ri^ht  of  way 
shall  be  owned  !>y  Companies,  two  by  the 
Baltimore  Companies  and  two  by  the   Belt  Line  Company. 

63 


5.  The  cost  of  acquiring  said  right  of  way  shall  be 
apportioned  and  borne  as  follows:  60  per  cent,  by  the  City, 
20  per  cent,  by  the  Pennsylvania  Companies,  20  per  cent, 
by  the  Baltimore  Companies.  Between  Magazine  Lane  and 
Passyunk  Avenue  the  cost  shall  be  borne  two-fifths  by  the 
City  and  three-fifths  by  the  two  railroad  companies. 

6.  In  the  interest  of  economy  of  expenditure,  and  to 
leave  free  for  vehicular  traffic  the  largest  possible  space  on 
Delaware  Avenue,  it  is  not  required  that  tracks  shall  at 
once  be  laid  by  the  Belt  Line  Company  either  on  Delaware 
Avenue  or  on  its  right  of  way  west  thereof  to  Magazine 
Lane,  but  such  failure  to  lay  tracks  shall  not  constitute  any 
default  on  the  part  of  the  said  Belt  Line  Company,  or  be 
construed  as  prejudicing  its  rights  under  this  agreement, 
until  an  additional  track  or  tracks  are  needed  to  accommo- 
date the  business  of  any  other  user,  in  which  case  such  track 
or  tracks  shall  be  laid  by  the  Belt  Line  Company,  the  City, 
or  by  any  other  user  designated  by  the  City. 

7.  The  construction  of  the  relocated  tracks  of  the  Penn- 
sylvania Companies  and  the  Baltimore  Companies  from 
Twenty-ninth  Street  and  Passyunk  Avenue  to  Delaware 
Avenue  and  Vandalia  Street  shall  proceed  jointly,  the  said 
Pennsylvania  Companies  and  the  Baltimore  Companies,  how- 
ever, to  reserve  the  ownership  in  their  respective  double- 
track  railroads,  and  each  bear  its  proportion  of  the  cost 
thereof  provided  by  this  agreement,  and  after  construction 
shall  each  pay  all  interest  and  other  obligations  thereof. 
Pending  the  construction  by  the  Belt  Line  Company  of  tracks 
on  Delaware  Avenue  between  Vandalia  and  Queen  Streets, 
the  Baltimore  Companies  may  construct  one  or  both  of  said 
tracks,  and  the  Belt  Line  Company  may  use  the  same  on  terms 
to  be  agreed  upon,  or  may  take  over  the  ownership  thereof 
upon  reimbursing  the  Baltimore  Companies  for  the  actual 
cost  of  said  tracks,  and  pending  such  construction,  the  tracks 
of  the  Pennsylvania  Companies  on  Delaware  Avenue  between 
Vandalia  and  Queen  Streets  shall  be  operated  as  a  continua- 
tion or  extension  of  the  joint  railroad,  unless  some  other 
arrangement  shall  be  made  between  said  Companies.  Upon 
completion,  said  joint  railroad,  including  its  main,  passing 
end  industrial  tracks  and  facilities,  shall  be  operated  and 
maintained  by  the  Pennsylvania  Companies  and  the  Baltimore 
Companies,  as  may  be  mutually  agreed  upon,  as  a  joint  rail- 
road for  the  movement  of  trains,  impartially  and  satisfac- 
torily, for  the  present  owners  and  future  users  hereinafter 
referred  to. 

There  shall  be  constructed  at  grade,  and  operated  as  part 
of  said  railroad,  such  connections  and  crossings  as  may  be 
necessary  to  adequately  serve  all  owners  and  users.  Operat- 
ing, maintenance  and  renewal  expenses,  including  taxes  and 

64 


insurance,  shall  be  Lcrr.c  in  accordance  with  the  number  of 
engines  and  loaded  and  empty  cars  moving  or  moved  over  the 
line.  Prior  to  and  until  tbe  entrance  thereon  of  another  com- 
pany, the  Pennsylvania  Companies  and  the  Baltimore  Com- 
panies shall  each  bear  one-half  of  the  cost  of  all  future 
sidings,  additions  and  betterments  made  for  joint  use.  No 
charge  shall  be  made  for  the  occupancy  or  use  for  such  pur- 
poses of  the  Belt  Line's  right  of  way,  but  whenever  the  two 
additional  tracks  (or  one  of  them)  are  to  be  laid  then  all 
sidings,  switches,  additions  and  every  track  laid  thereon  shall 
be  moved  and  relocated  at  the  equal  expense  of  all  Companies 
then  using  said  joint  railroad,  in  such  a  manner  as  to  permit 
of  the  laying  and  operation  of  said  one  or  two  additional 
tracks. 

8.  It  is  agreed  that  the  joint  railroad  between  Passyunk 
Avenue  and  Queen  Street  shall  constitute  an  open  gateway 
for  the  traffic  of  all  railroads  to  the  proposed  new  municipal 
docks,  and  the  present  and  future  commercial  and  industrial 
developments  in  the  said  southern  portion  of  the  City.  To 
mal:e  this  effective,  the  Pennsylvania  Companies  and  the 
Baltimore  Companies  agree  that  if,  after  the  const mction  and 
commencement  of  operation  of  said  joint  railroad,  any  stand- 
ard-gauge steam  railroad  company,  whether  operated  by 
steam  or  other  motive  power,  and  hereinafter  designated  for 
convenience  as  "using  Company"  or  "users,"  shall  desire  to 
use  the  same  between  said  pointfl  for  the  movement  of  traffic, 
it  shall  have  the  ri^ht  to  do  so,  upon  the  terms  and  subject 
to  the  limitations  following,  to  wit: 

(a.)  It  must  have  the  requisite  State  and  Municipal  au- 
thority to  construct  and  operate  a  line  of  railroad  to  a  con- 
nection therewith,  or  to  a  connection  with  the  Belt  Line; 

(6.)  It  mu.ct  file  with  the  City  open  evidence  satisfactory 
to  the  Mayor  of  its  financial  ability  to  meet  all  necessary 
obligations,  as  a  guarantee  of  which  it  shall  deposit  with  a 
bank  or  trust  company,  satisfactory  to  the  Mayor,  the  sum 
of  Fifty  Thousand  Dollars  ($50,000),  to  be  returned  to  it 
upon  the  written  order  of  the  Mayor  when  its  road  has  been 
constructed  and  it  has  used  the  joint  railroad  for  a  period  of 
six  months; 

(c.)  It  must  pay  as  rental  a  proportionate  share  (1) 
(computed  on  the  car  and  engine  basis  hereinbefore  pro- 
vided) of  the  total  operating,  maintenance  and  renewal 
expenses,  including  taxes,  insurance  and  such  other  items  as 
may  now  or  hereafter  be  prescribed  in  the  expense  classi- 
fication promulgated  by  the  Interstate  Commerce  Commis- 
sion; and  (2)  one-third  of  the  interest  at  six  per  cent.  (6%) 
per  annum  upon  the  total  actual  cost  to  said  owning  com- 
panies, respectively,  of  said  joint  railroad,  including  all  addi- 

95 


tions,  improvements  and  facilities  forming  a  part  thereof,  and 
including  also  the  value  of  the  present  lines  of  railroad  of 
each  of  said  Pennsylvania  Companies  and  Baltimore  Com- 
panies for  which  the  joint  railroad  is  a  substitute,  and  such 
value  of  the  Pennsylvania  Companies  is  hereby  fixed  at 
$  and  of  the  Baltimore  Companies  at  $ 

If  there  be  two  such  other  users,  the  rental  to  each  shall  be 
one-fourth  of  said  cost,  and  in  like  proportion  for  each  user, 
whenever  the  users  and  owners  shall  exceed  four  in  number. 
If,  however,  an  additional  user  shall  at  its  own  cost  construct 
an  additional  track  or  tracks  on  the  right  of  way  of  the  Belt 
Line  Company,  it  shall  be  credited  with  interest  on  such  cost, 
and  it  shall  be  entitled  to  contribution  in  like  manner  from 
any  subsequent  user.  In  no  event,  however,  shall  any  addi- 
tional user  be  entitled  to  demand  rental  from  the  Pennsyl- 
vania Companies  or  Baltimore  Companies,  even  if  its  outlay 
should  exceed  that  of  either  of  these  Companies; 

(d.)  The  cost  of  the  said  joint  railroad  shall  be  divided 
into  two  sections,  one  section  including  the  portion  on  Dela- 
ware Avenue  between  Hoyt  Street  and  Queen  Street,  and  the 
other  including  the  portion  between  Delaware  Avenue  and 
Hoyt  Street,  and  Twenty-ninth  Street  and  Passyunk  Avenue, 
and  any  other  company  shall  have  the  right  to  use  either  or 
both  of  said  sections,  and  in  the  event  of  its  using  only  one 
section,  its  rental  as  hereinbefore  defined  shall  include  interest 
only  on  the  cost  of  that  section  plus  half  the  value  of  the 
present  lines  abandoned  by  the  Pennsylvania  and  Baltimore 
Companies.  Should  it  subsequently  use  the  other  section, 
there  shall  be  added  to  the  rental  interest  on  the  remaining 
half  of  the  value  of  the  abandoned  lines.  In  the  calculation  of 
rental  the  total  actual  cost  to  the  owning  companies  shall 
include  interest  only  for  and  during  the  period  of  construc- 
tion, but  not  thereafter. 

The  bills  for  the  rental  prescribed  herein  shall  be  rendered 
and  paid  in  accordance  with  recognized  railroad  practice.  No 
dispute  or  question  shall  delay  the  payment  of  bills  as  ren- 
dered, but  any  adjustment  necessary  shall  be  made  in  the 
accounts  of  subsequent  months. 

9.  Upon  the  construction  of  tracks  additional  to  the 
four  tracks  to  be  forthwith  constructed,  the  same  shall  there- 
upon become  part  of  the  joint  railroad,  so  far  as  operation  is 
concerned,  so  that  there  may  be  unanimity  of  operation  of  the 
joint  railroad  as  a  five  or  six  track  line,  including  mutual 
cross-over  privileges,  so  as  to  furnish  facilities  to  all  users  to 
reach  both  industrial  establishments  and  wharves  and  docks 
now  or  hereafter  existing. 

It  is  further  agreed  that  the  Belt  Line  Company  or  the 
Baltimore  Companies  or  the  Pennsylvania  Companies  are 
hereby  empowered  to  make  a  contract  with,  and  confer  upon, 

66 


any  standard  gauge  steam  railroad  company  the  right  to  the 
use  of  the  joint  railroad  upon  complying  with  the  terms  and 
conditions  hereinbefore  expressed  and  paying  the  rental  here- 
inbefore stipulated,  and  subject  to  all  the  terms  and  condi- 
tions of  this  agreement. 

% 

10.  This  agreement  is  intended  to  secure  the  right  of 

equal  usage  of  said  joint  railroad  with  the  Pennsylvania 
Companies  and  the  Baltimore  Companies  to  all  other  com- 
panies, so  that  it  shall  in  effect  constitute  an  open  gat< 
but  it  is  equally  intended  to  prohibit  and  deny  to  any  com- 
pany access  into  or  the  use  of  the  terminal  yards,  piers  and 
other  terminal  facilities  of  any  other  company,  except  with 
their  consent  and  approval,  and  on  such  terms  as  may  be 
mutually  agreed  upon,  and  the  property,  tracks  and  facilities 
of  the  Girard  Point  Storage  Company  are  included  in  the 
terminals  of  the  Pennsylvania  Companies. 

11.  The  Pennsylvania  Companies  and  Baltimore  Com- 
panies agree  that  the  joint  railroad,  including  main,  passing 
and  industrial  tracks  and  other  facilities  connected  with  and 
forming  a  part  thereof,  shall  at  all  times  be  impartially 
operated,  so  that  all  users  shall  be  accorded  equal  fc.cilities 
and  service. 

12.  It  is  further  expressly  understood  that  whenever  the 
City  of  Philadelphia  ^hall  by  Ordinance  consent  to  the  use 
of  such  joint  railroad  within  the  limits  and  upon  the  terms 
and  conditions  hereinbefore  stated  by  any  other  such  rail- 
road company  or  companies,  then  this  agreement,  in  so  far 
as  it  relates  to  the  said  joint  railroad,  shall  be  taken  and  con- 
strued to  be  for  the  benefit  and  advantage  of  such  railroad 
company  or  companies  desiring  to  use  the  said  joint  railroad 
and  for  the  benefit  and  advantage  of  the  City  of  Philadelphia, 
having  consented  thereto  as  aforesaid,  as  well  as  for  the  bene- 
fit and  advantage  of  the  Pennsylvania  Companies  and  the 
Baltimore  Companies,  and  either  the  said  City  or  the  said 
railroad  company  or  companies,  or  both,  desiring  to  use  the 
6aid  joint  railroad  shall  have  the  full  and  unrestricted  right 
and  capacity  to  enforce  this  provision  of  the  agreement  by 
legal  or  equitable  process,  or  in  any  other  manner  whatso- 
ever, to  the  same  intent  and  with  like  force  and  effect  as  if 
such  railroad  company  or  companies  had  been  specifically 
named  and  mentioned  herein.  It  is  the  intention  of  the  parties 
hereto  that  this  clause  shall  be  of  the  essence  of  this  contract 
between  them,  and  shall  operate  as  a  condition  upon  which 
this  contract  takes  effect. 

13.  In  case  of  disagreement  between  any  of  the  parties 
hereto  as  to  the  meaning  or  construction  of  this  Article,  or 
any  part  thereof,  or  as  to  the  respective  rights  and  obliga- 
tions of  the  parties  thereunder,  such  points  of  contention  or 

67 


matter  as  to  which  there  may  be  failure  to  agree  shall  be 
submitted  to  the  Interstate  Commerce  Commission  (or  such 
of  their  number  as  that  body  may  designate)  for  decision  and 
determination,  and  such  decision  shall  be  final,  conclusive  and 
binding,  and  no  appeal  shall  be  taken  therefrom,  nor  shall  the 
same  be  questioned  in  any  forum  or  proceeding,  except  in  a 
proper  court  for  the  sole  purpose  of  enforcing  the  decision  so 
made.  If  the  Commission  declines  or  fails  to  act  within  sixty 
(60)  days  after  written  request  is  made,  then  the  questions 
at  issue  shall  be  decided  by  arbitration  in  the  manner  pro- 
vided in  Article  Seventeenth  of  this  agreement.  The  expense 
of  such  proceedings  shall  be  borne  equally  by  all  parties  con- 
cerned in  the  contention. 

14.  The  trains,  engines  and  employes  of  the  Companies 
owning  or  using  the  joint  railroad,  while  upon  the  said  rail- 
road, shall  be  subject  to  the  regulations  and  orders  of  the 
Superintendent  or  other  Officers  of  the  Company  operating 
the  same,  and  to  secure  uniformity  in  time,  rules  and  signals, 
the  said  Companies  agree  to  conduct  their  use  of  said  joint 
railroad  in  conformity  with  the  standard  time,  rules  and 
signals  adopted  from  time  to  time  by  said  Company  operating 
the  line.  Said  operating  Company  shall  provide  for  the  run- 
ning over  said  joint  railroad  of  such  trains  or  engines  as  the 
owning  and  using  Companies  may  desire  to  run  under  this 
agreement  and  as  nearly  in  accordance  with  their  wishes  as 
may  be  practicable,  and  said  operating  Company  shall  give 
equal  rights  to  all  trains  of  the  same  class.  Any  employe  of 
the  said  owning  or  using  Companies  below  the  rank  of  Train 
Master  shall  at  any  time  be  removed  from  service  on,  or  in 
connection  with,  the  said  joint  railroad,  upon  complaint  in 
writing  showing  sufficient  cause  therefor  addressed  to  the 
General  Manager  by  the  Company  making  such  complaint; 
but  such  removal  shall  not  prevent  the  employment  elsewhere 
of  the  individual  so  removed.  It  is  understood  and  agreed 
that  in  said  use  of  said  joint  railroad  each  owning  and  using 
Company  shall  assume  all  liability  for  damage  to  its  own 
trains,  engines,  cars  and  property  in  its  charge,  employes  or 
other  persons  and  property  injured  or  damages  by  its  trains, 
engines  or  cars,  and  shall  protect,  indemnify  and  save  harm- 
less the  other  Companies  against  any  claims  or  demands  in 
consequence  of,  or  growing  out  of,  such  injury  or  damage. 
In  case  of  injury  or  damage  caused  by  the  trains,  engines  or 
cars  of  two  or  more  of  such  owning  or  using  Companies,  each 
of  such  Companies  affected  shall  assume  all  liability  for 
damage  to  its  own  property,  or  property  in  its  charge,  and  to 
its  employes,  but  liability  for  damage  to  other  persons  and 
property  shall  be  jointly  assumed  by  the  Companies  affected 
in  equal  proportion.  Any  loss  or  damage  not  above  described 
shall  be  included  in  the  cost  of  operation  and  maintenance  of 
the  said  joint  railroad.     Superintendents,  managers,  agents, 


telegraph  operators,  train  despatchers,  section  foremen,  or 
laborers,  watchmen,  switchmen  or  any  other  person  or  persona 
subordinate  to  the  General  Manager  employed  in,  or  charged 
with,  the  maintenance  or  care  of  or  operation  of  the  said 
joint  railroad  shall  in  respect  to  the  liability  of  any  Com- 
pany using  the  said  railroad,  to  each  other  or  to  third  persons, 
growing  out  of  the  fault  or  neglect  of  such  officers,  agents  or 
employes,  be  deemed  and  held  to  be  the  sole  servants  of  that 
Company  to,  or  upon,  or  in  connection  with,  whose  trains, 
business,  traffic  or  property  any  loss  or  damage  may  have 
occurred. 

Seventeenth. — In  case  of  any  difference  or  dispute  aris- 
ing under  this  agreement,  the  parties  hereto  agree  to  submit 
the  same,  except  wherein  otherwise  specifically  provided,  to 
two  competent  arbitrators,  one  of  whom  shall  be  appointed 
by  the  party  or  parties  hereto  holding  to  the  one  contention, 
and  the  other  by  the  party  or  parties  hereto  holding  to  the 
contrary  contention  involved  in  such  difference  or  dispute, 
and  if  these  arbitrators  cannot  agree  they  shall  select  a  third 
disinterested  and  competent  party,  and  the  three  arbitrators, 
or  a  majority  of  them,  shall  decide  with  all  reasonable 
despatch  the  issues  before  them,  and  such  decision  shall  be  a 
condition  precedent  to  the  enforcement  of  any  right  of  action 
under  this  agreement.  In  case  either  of  the  said  parties  shall 
fail  to  appoint  an  arbitrator,  as  aforesaid,  for  the  period  of 
twenty  days  after  written  notice  given  by  the  other  party,  or 
parties,  to  make  such  appointment,  then,  in  that  event,  the 
arbitrator  appointed  by  the  party,  or  parties,  not  in  default 
shall  appoint  an  arbitrator  of  like  experience  and  skill  for 
the  defaulting  party,  and  said  two  arbitrators  so  appointed 
shall  select  a  third  arbitrator,  and  the  three  so  chosen,  or  a 
majority  of  them,  shall  decide  such  issues.  The  expenses  of 
such  arbitration  shall  be  borne  equally  by  the  parties  involved 
in  such  difference  or  dispute. 

Eighteenth. — It  is  also  further  covenanted  and  agreed  by 
the  said  Pennsylvania  Companies,  the  Baltimore  Companies 
and  the  Belt  Line  Company  to  do  and  perform  each,  every  and 
all  the  matters  and  things  in  the  hereinbefore  mentioned 
Ordinance  stipulated  to  be  done  and  performed,  and  to  be 
subject  to  all  the  liabilities,  and  fully  and  faithfully  comply 
with  all  the  promises,  terms  and  conditions,  matters  and 
things  of  every  nature  and  kind  in  said  Ordinance  contained 
so  far  as  the  same  relates  to  the  Pennsylvania  Companies, 
the  Baltimore  Companies  and  Belt  Line  Company,  with  the 
same  force  and  effect  as  if  each  particular  thing  named  in 
the  said  Ordinance  was  herein  fully  set  forth  and  covenanted 
to  be  done  and  performed,  and  the  said  City  of  Philadelphia 
hereby  covenants  and  agrees  to  fully  and  faithfully  perform 
each  and  everything  contained  in  said  Ordinance  on  its  part 
to  be  done  and  performed. 

N 


It  is  also  further  agreed  that  all  the  covenants  in  this 
agreement  contained  shall  extend  to  and  bind  the  successors 
and  assigns  of  each  of  the  Companies,  parties  hereto,  with  the 
same  force  and  effect  as  if  the  words  "successors  and  assigns" 
had  in  each  case  been  particularly  mentioned. 

In  Witness  Whereof  the  parties  hereto  have  caused 
their  respective  seals  to  be  hereunto  affixed,  duly  attested 
the  day  of  A.  D.  1913. 

Section  2.  The  Mayor  is  hereby  authorized  and  directed  to  exe- 
cute, acknowledge  and  deliver  the  said  contract  on  behalf  of  the  City 
(which  contract  shall  be  recorded)  and  to  till  in  the  blanks  left  for 
the  date  in  the  above  agreement. 

Section  3.  In  addition  to  the  revisions  of  the  lines  and  grades  of 
streets  specifically  provided  for  and  necessary  for  the  carrying  out 
of  the  work  covered  by  said  contract,  the  Department  of  Public  Works, 
Board  of  Surveyors,  is  authorized  and  directed  to  make  such  general 
revision  of  the  lines  and  grades  of  streets  as  may  be  necessary  to 
provide  for  the  better  service  and  development  of  the  water  front 
and  more  direct  and  convenient  approaches  thereto,  to  provide  for 
proper  and  adequate  facilities  for  circulation  and  transportation  and 
for  commercial,  industrial  and  residential  development,  and  to  com- 
plete the  city  plan,  within  the  territory  bounded  as  follows:  Begin- 
ning at  Christian  Street  and  the  Delaware  River,  thence  southward 
along  the  Delaware  River  to  the  boundary  line  of  property  of  the 
United  States  Government,  thence  westward  along  the  same  to  the 
Schuylkill  River,  thence  northward  along  the  various  courses  of  the 
same  to  Reed  Street,  thence  following  the  southern  boundary  of  the 
completely  built-up  area  of  the  city  to  Front  Street,  thence  north- 
wardly along  the  same  to  Christian  Street  and  thence  eastwardly  to 
the  Delaware  River  and  place  of  beginning. 

Section  4.  The  Ordinance  approved  the  twenty-sixth  day  of 
December,  1890,  entitled  "An  Ordinance  to  authorize  the  Philadel- 
phia Belt  Line  Railroad  Company  to  construct  its  railroad  and 
branches  upon  and  across  streets,  to  authorize  changes  and  revisions 
in  the  lines  and  grades  of  certain  streets,  the  location  of  a  new  street, 
the  widening  of  certain  streets  and  the  shifting  of  the  tracks  occupied 
jointly  by  the  River  front  and  the  Philadelphia  and  Reading  Railway 
Companies,  and  the  entering  of  security,"  is  hereby  amended  by 
striking  from  Section  1  thereof  the  letters  G,  I,  H  and  K  when  they 
are  recited  as  points  on  a  map  indicating  branch  lines  of  the  said 
railroad;  also  by  striking  from  Section  1  thereof  the  following  por- 
tion of  a  paragraph,  "Commencing  with  a  double  track  on  Schuylkill 
Avenue,  at  Curtin  Street,  in  the  Twenty-sixth  Ward;  thence  south- 
wardly in  Government  Avenue  to  a  point  at  or  near  Fifth  Street; 
thence  curving  southeastwardly  to  a  point  at  or  near  the  intersection 
of  Avenue  Thirty-seven  south  and  Thirty-second  Street;  thence 
southeastwardly,  crossing  the  tracks  of  the  Girard  Point  Extension 
Railroad,  to  a  point  at  or  near  the  intersection  of  Avenue  Forty-two 

70 


south  and  Twenty-seventh  Street:  thence  curving  southwardly  to  a 
point  in  Twenty-sixth  Street  near  Avenue  Forty-three  south;  thence 
southwardly  in  Twenty-sixth  Street  to  a  point  north  of  Avenue  Forty- 
five  south;  thence  curving  eastwardly  to  a  point  in  Avenue  Forty-five 
south,  east  of  Twenty-sixth  Street;  thence  eastwardly  in  Avenue 
Forty-five  south  to  Government  Avenue  near  Twenty-second  Street; 
thence  northeastwardly  in  Government  Avenue  to  a  point  where  the 
said  avenue  is  intercepted  by  Sixteenth  Street  extended;  thence  east- 
wardly in  Government  Avenue  to  a  point  at  or  near  Fifth  Street; 
thence  northwardly  on  Fifth  Street  to  a  point  at  or  near  Johnson 
Street;  thence  curving  eastwardly  on  Johnson  Street,  crossing  the 
tracks  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company,  to  a  point  on  Dela- 
ware Avenue;  thence  northwardly  on  Delaware  Avenue  and  east  of 
the  right  of  way  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company  to  a  point 
at  or  near  the  intersection  of  Delaware  Avenue,  Porter  Street  and 
Commercial  Avenue;  thence  northwestwardly  along  Commercial  Ave- 
nue parallel  with  and  east  of  the  right  of  way  of  the  Pennsylvania 
Railroad  Company  and  the  Schuylkill  River  East  Side  Railroad  Com- 
pany to  a  point  at  or  near  the  intersection  of  Commercial  Avenue. 
Moore  Street  and  Meadow  Street;  thence  northwardly  in  and  along 
Meadow  Street  east  of  and  parallel  with  the  right  of  way  of  the 
Schuylkill  River  East  Side  Railroad  Company  to  a  point  at  or  near 
the  intersection  of  Meadow  Street  and  Tasker  Street;  thence  curving 
westwardly  and  northwardly  to  a  point  in  Front  Street,  north  of 
Tasker  Street,  crossing  the  tracks  of  the  Schuylkill  River  East  Side 
Railroad  in  Meadow  Street  and  the  tracks  of  the  Pennsylvania  Rail- 
road in  Swanson  Street;  thence  northwardly  along  Front  Street  to 
a  point  at  or  near  Queen  Street;  thence  curving  eastwardly  into  and 
along  Queen  Street  to  a  point  in  Delaware  Avenue  north  of  Queen 
Street,  crossing  the  Swanson  Street  Branch  of  the  Philadelphia. 
Wilmington  and  Baltimore  Railroad  and  the  tracks  of  the  Pennsyl- 
vania Railroad,"  and  inserting  in  lieu  thereof  the  following:  "Com- 
mencing with  a  double  track  on  Schuylkill  Avenue,  as  revised,  at  or 
near  Twenty-ninth  Street  (from  which  point  it  may  connect  with 
the  tracks  through  the  property  of  the  Girard  Point  Storage  Com- 
pany), and  thence  extending  westwardly  and  northwardly  along 
Schuylkill  Avenue,  as  revised,  to  a  point  north  of  Magazine  Lane, 
thence  curving  to  the  eastward  and  southward,  connecting  with  and 
crossing  the  joint  four-track  railroad  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad 
Company  and  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad  Company  at  or  near 
Magazine  Lane,  thence  continuing  southward  ar.d  eastward  parallel 
with  and  immediately  adjacent  to  the  said  joint  four-track  railroad 
to  Hoyt  Street  and  Delaware  Avenue,  thence  crossing  the  said  joint 
four-track  railroad  and  continuing  northward  parallel  with,  upon 
the  east  side  of,  and  immediately  adjacent  to  the  same  in  the  bed  of 
Delaware  Avenue,  to  a  point  north  of  Queen  Street";  also  by  striking 
from  Section  1  thereof  the  following  paragraphs: 

"The  route  of  the  branch  from  point  marked  G  on  the  main  line 
to  point  marked  H  shall  be  as  follows: — 

71 


"Commencing  at  a  point  on  the  main  line  of  road  on  Government 
Avenue  near  and  west  of  Fifth  Street;  thence  extending  eastwardly 
along  Government  Avenue  and  Avenue  Forty-three  south  to  the  river 
bank  at  or  near  Third  Street;  thence  along  the  river  bank  to  a  point 
at  or  near  Spangler  Street. 

"The  route  of  the  branch  from  point  marked  I  on  the  main  line 
to  point  marked  K  shall  be  as  follows: — 

"Commencing  at  a  point  in  Schuylkill  Avenue  at  or  near  Hoyt 
Street;  thence  southwardly  in  Schuylkill  Avenue  to  or  near  Avenue 
Thirty-six  south;  thence  curving  westward  to  the  river  bank;  thence 
following  the  general  line  of  the  river  bank  along  the  Schuylkill  River 
to  a  point  near  the  prolongation  southward  of  Thirtieth  Street;  thence 
curving  northward  to  a  connection  with  the  tracks  of  the  Girard  Point 
Extension  Railroad  at  or  near  Avenue  Forty-five  south." 

Section  5.  That  the  sum  of  One  Million  (1,000,000)  Dollars, 
provided  for  the  removal  of  grade  crossings  in  the  southern  section 
of  the  City  by  Ordinance  approved  the  ninth  day  of  February,  1907, 
be  expended  for  carrying  on  the  work  herein  provided  for. 

Section  6.  All  Ordinances  or  parts  of  Ordinances  inconsistent 
herewith  are  hereby  repealed. 


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3  0112  061923766 


